Odyssey 2184
by Gray Spectre Warden Boom
Summary: Continuation of my self insert into ME universe.Read the first one otherwise you'll get confused. Set in the transition between ME1 and ME2. Sequel to Odyssey 2183.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Mass Effect or any of it's characters, well I own a copy of the game and sequel and a book and the walkthroughs and... I'm off topic again...**

**A/N The sequel to Odyssey 2183. Make sure you've ready Odyssey 2183 otherwise you'll be confused. And also make sure you've played the ME games, otherwise again you'll be confused. I'm still new at fanfic writing but I'm hoping that this chapter will "level up" Compared to some of my previous ones. If you don't have anything good or constructive to say don't say anything at all...**

**Ch.1**

"**Anyone who fights us is either stupid or on Saren's payroll. Killing the latter is business. Killing the former is a favor to the universe."**

**Urdnot Wrex**

I'm sitting alone looking at the holos Liana had left me. "I wonder where she went," I say to myself. She had left while I was in the hospital, leaving behind a going away message, a group of holos (three dimensional photos) and a fortune. The fortune she said, was so I could live in peace somewhere while she hunted down a person whom everyone believed was dead, the Owner. I disregarded her wishes, using it to buy a ship so I could travel around the galaxy. Garrus and Tali came with me to make sure I didn't hurt myself, and Wrex came along for reasons he wouldn't share with me.

"Doe," Wrex says getting my attention I slide the holo back in my pocket. Wrex always kind of intimidated me, well most anyone would be intimidated by a 7 foot tall battle scarred krogan, despite his great height his head was near eye level with me, due to his hump . . . I'm getting off topic though.

"Yeah Wrex," I respond.

"I found a turian I want to visit," he says.

"What'd he do," I ask, only turians Wrex likes are dead ones, and maybe Garrus.

"He's selling krogan weapons and armor from the Rachni wars," Wrex says with venom.

Wait this is the guy that has Wrex's armor isn't it, "You got a name," I ask.

"Tonn Actus," Wrex answers spitting the name.

Damn it, that's the guy, "You got an address," I ask, Wrex probably will leave after this.

"I heard he's working out of a warehouse on Omega," Wrex says surprising me. I thought he was on some backwater planet hiding. He notices my reaction, "You look surprised."

"Nothing," I say. I guess various things are different but not galaxy changing. "We'll check it out." He seems curious but didn't push the point.

"Doe," he says heading to one of the few places on the ship that he could be alone, the bathroom. It's cramped in a small civilian vessel like this. Tali slept back on a futon by the drive core, and Garrus slept on a couch we had dragged aboard and bolted to the floor. I slept on the floor it was more comfortable to me, and I can feel the vibrations from the ship, which I've found comforting. I have no idea where Wrex sleeps. There is a bed but none of us laid claim to it. I liked the floor, Tali liked the noise from the engine, Garrus didn't want to be the only one in a bed, and again I have no idea where Wrex sleeps. Maybe Wrex took the bed . . . Ok off topic. I go to tell our pilot on duty where we are going.

Tali and Garrus took shifts piloting, while neither were as good as Joker they did their best, it was Tali's turn. I sit in the Copilots seat, "Our new destination is Omega," I say to her.

"Why," she asks. Ah, I have to admit I love how, exotic her voice sounds with her accent and the slight distortion from her suit.

"Wrex has personal business," I say to her.

She turns her pilots seat around to face me. I loved how the quarian enviro suits looked, in most cases snug, the visor tinted just enough that you can't really see their face, just a glowing pair of eyes staring out at you, adds to her exotic quality. Pieces of cloth hid most tubes and other mechanical items. Tali stood at about 5 feet I would guess, and like all quarians had 3 fingers on each hand . . . And I'm getting off track again.

"All right then," she says turning back around and making corrections to our course, most likely to bring us to the nearest Mass Relay, massive tuning fork shaped things that could send you from one side of the galaxy to the other in a second.

"You have an opinion on Omega," I ask, while I saw it in ME2 I've learned that not everything translates between an alternate dimension and a video game.

"From what I've heard it is a horrible place," Tali says, guess that hasn't changed from the game.

"I've heard it called the Terminus system's dark Citadel, or something like that," I say to her.

"I've only heard from those who went to Omega on their pilgrimage," Tali says, "not many returned from Omega."

"Sounds like fun," I say sarcastically, "isn't your shift nearly over," I say to her. I'd have liked to make it 4 shifts with everyone taking over the controls every 6 hours, but I don't even have a license to drive a car and Wrex doesn't seem to know how to fly, so of course Tali who spent her whole life around ships, and Garrus who learned a bit during his time in C-sec, were the only ones with any piloting experience. So it was 50/50 split.

"I guess you're right," She says, "I lost track of time."

Sure enough Garrus who has a built in alarm clock walks up, "Tali I believe it's my shift now." Garrus was a turian meaning he was about 6 foot blueish-gray 'skin' sort of exoskeleton thing, blue facial markings and turians in general look, how did Anderson put it 'Like a missing link between dinosaurs and birds,' he's got 3 fingers same as Tali and did I mention both had a different DNA structure than other species in the galaxy... Yeah I don't know what's up with me today, it's almost like my mind is narrating a fanfic...

"Garrus good to see you're up," I say in greeting.

"Your turn," Tali says standing up from the pilot's chair, she stretches, then heads back to the engine room.

"Oh good, I get to sit in the chair now," Garrus says sarcastically, sitting down. He checks our course, "We're heading for Omega," he asks.

"Yeah Wrex has some unfinished business," I say to him.

"So we are heading to the murder capital of the Galaxy," Garrus says slowly.

"Yes exciting isn't it," I say grinning.

"You seem to get off on this kind of stuff," he observes.

"Well it's a lot more exciting than what I used to do," I say thoughtfully, "and I figure with you guys it would take an army to beat us."

"Or a cruiser," Garrus says killing my good mood. Me and Wrex hadn't been on board when the Normandy went down, but Garrus and Tali had. Apparently while I was in the hospital Garrus and the Commander had gotten closer to each other. He was ordered by the Commander to help people evacuate, and well you know the rest she got spaced. Tali was sad after Shepard's death but it was mixed she had managed to become friends with the engineering crew, and a good amount of them had died in the Collector attack. Both were recovering it was just those occasional comments they made like Garrus's cruiser comment just now.

"Yeah or that," I say solemnly. We descend into awkward silence.

Just when I was about to excuse myself Garrus says, "We're approaching the mass relay." We approach the massive monolith from the side, Garrus inputs our mass and destination. A blue light surrounds our ship, I feel a slight pressure as we fly through, and in an instant I'm looking at a different section of space.

"That always weirds me out," I say to him, I mean we just got shot out of a massive space gun to another point in the galaxy. We sit there for a while.

"Omega," Garrus says, "ETA 5 hours." Man, one thing that doesn't translate between the galaxy and the game is that while most places are just a load time away in the game, it usually takes several hours or even days to get to places in the galaxy.

"Call me if anything happens," I say getting up and walking to the engine room, which was a very small room with little open space especially considering Tali had a futon here. Which she was laying on when the door whooshes open. I can never tell if she's relaxing or sleeping but I can't see the glow of her eyes through her mask so I'm guessing she's asleep, I quietly back out of the room. The door whooshes closed oblivious to any attempts at stealth. "There's nothing to do on a little ship like this," I say to the air. I lay down bundling up my cloak to make a pillow and fall fast asleep.

_I'm in a burning building, a krogan falls off a balcony, a large group of armed guards draws their weapons, a voice says "Better luck next time." I put my hands in the air..._

I wake to the sound of explosions and the ship shuddering, a warning klaxon blares. "Will," Tali shouts.

I sit up fast, explosions, warning, ship shuddering, "We're under attack."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N This story is probably gonna have longer waits between chapters due to alot of events in my life... Read enjoy Comment... No flames... insulting comments, not fire...**

* * *

**Ch. 2**

"**Lots of ways to help people. Sometimes heal patients; sometimes execute dangerous people. Either way helps."**

**Mordin Solus**

"Garrus," I shout running to the bridge, "what's going on." I reach the bridge and I see the window has a crack going through it. "Crap," I shout. "I'll grab your helmet," I say to him running back out of the room. I pass Wrex, "EVA," I shout passing by.

"What's going on," Tali asks exiting the engine room. She doesn't need EVA her enviro suit can be used in vacuum.

"I don't know," I say reaching in and grabbing Garrus's helmet. I head back to the bridge where everyone is gathered. The ship lurches and Tali slams into me. I hold fast and grab onto her.

"We're under attack," Garrus finally explains. His hands dance across the console. I feel another shudder. I quickly slide his helmet on his head, I notice Wrex seal his. I reach and pull out a mask that when inserted into my suit made it vacuum proof.

"Pirates," I ask, crap I should've gotten weapons for this thing.

He doesn't answer he's completely concentrated on the controls. I hold on to Tali as the stars dance in the mirror. My heart beats in my chest. "We're gonna make it," Wrex says.

"That's awfully optimistic of you Wrex," I say to him.

"I'm not gonna die killed by some no name pirates," he says with certainty. A missle explodes on the side of our ship. The ship lurches again I lose my footing me and Tali land on the floor. She's on top of me. Ok not the thoughts to be having when we are being attacked by pirates. She looks up at me, we sit there. The ship lurches yet again and we slam into another wall.

I move my body to cushion Tali, "Oof."

The ship calms for a minute, "We lost them," Garrus says. I finally get another look out the front and I see Omega, a massive space station that I have to say looks like a jellyfish, if a jelly fish was made out of rock, steel, and evil. "Oh no," Garrus says.

"What is it," I ask worried. We're out of the fire aren't we?

"We've lost controls," Garrus says, "we're on a crash course for Omega, communications are out." Oh Crap.

I get up and pull Tali up with me, "We've got to get this thing working," I say to her. Garrus gets up from the pilot's seat. Tali begins taking it apart, she works like a machine moving parts around twisting wires, I'm left standing there holding the covering while she searches for the problem.

"I can't fix it," Tali says, oh shi- crap. I invited them all on this trip, I just Killed my three favorite character's in Mass Effect, and me! I'm lightheaded. "I can control where we crash."

There's still some hope, "Any soft spots," I ask hopeful.

"There's a large window," Tali suggests, "we could hit that and maybe survive."

"That's comforting," Garrus says.

"We don't have a choice," Wrex says, "ram it."

I want to close my eyes but I don't want darkness to be my last sight. I look at Tali, I wish . . . We shift course, "Do it," I say to her. We head for a window large enough for the ship to fit through. The window quickly get's bigger and bigger until it fills the view screen, I grab Tali and put my body between her and the window, I feel Wrex get behind me, he's glowing blue, a barrier... We brace ourselves. A soundless crash, we slam into the window the ship plows through it. I hold onto Tali for dear life, I hear Wrex grunt and we all go down. I hear alarms sound as I hear a metallic scraping sound. My vision blurry I see metallic shutters slam down over the broken window. All the objects in the room had shifted to our ship.

As it turns out the room was empty except for a few containers. I slowly stand up and help Tali get back up. We look at each other for a moment, "Wrex," I say suddenly realizing the krogan had shielded us. I turn and see him lying on the floor, he moves. "Oh thank god," I say rushing over I pull out some medi gel, and apply it to the obvious wounds.

Garrus comes limping out of the ship, "Don't worry I'm fine," he says sarcastically. "Where are we," he asks.

I look around and see a 429 stenciled on a wall. "I don't know but we need to get Wrex to a clinic.

"You don't look so good yourself," Garrus says. I feel a warmth on my head that I didn't feel before. Oh crap. My mask had a crack in it, I must've hit my head.

"We could all use a doctor," I say, I try and lift Wrex, I manage to get my head under his arm, Garrus stands on the other side. We begin limping slowly towards the door. Tali gets ahead of us and opens it, she being the one with the least amount of injuries, we have to turn sideways to fit Wrex through. We keep limping along until we see a batarian.

"Where's the nearest clinic," Tali asks. The batarian looks in our direction spits and walks off.

"Well wasn't he neighborly," I say sarcastically, I don't know how hurt Wrex is but he's putting one foot in front of the other so he should be good enough to get wherever the clinic is. We limp along for a short while longer, I feel woozy, "keep going," I say to myself.

I see Tali wave us over, "I found a clinic," she says excitedly. We head for the door with our last ounces of strength, the door slides open. And I notice something eerily familiar about this place, like I've been here before. Which is impossible due to the fact I've never been to Omega except in... all my internal questions are answered when I see a salarian doctor come rushing out, one of his 'horns' gone, with several assistants.

"Mordin," I say moments before I collapse. Everything goes dark. I wake up slowly to a rhythmic beeping sound. I see the same salarian as before standing over me, he's moving his omni tool and fiddling around with it. Now I've always thought salarians looked kind of like lizards combined with humans, They have two large black eyes, a pair of horn like things coming out of their heads, this one, whom I believe to be Mordin Solus from ME2 has a orangish hue to his skin, and he looked more scarred than Wrex did. And like most salarians he talked fast.

He notices I'm awake, "Ah, good to see you up, afraid you were dead," he says in the fast speech salarians used. "Would take a lot to kill you, amazing modifications, though crashing might," he continues.

I feel like a pinata after the party. "Where are my friends," I ask.

"Krogan, recovering, very close to death, nearly went into blood rage, amazing self control," he answered. "Quarian, miraculously few injuries, bruises, no worry about infection," I forgot he would continue to talk until someone interrupted him. "Turian, minor injuries, bad sprain, trauma to head, next room over," he explains.

"Thanks for the help," I say gratefully.

He ignores my comment and keeps truckin', "What are you doing here, vacation, not likely Omega not big on tourists, mercenary, likely armed armored, but untrue no insignia, bounty hunters..."

"God you never shut up," I say laughing. I regret it, ouch hurts to laugh. "My friend the krogan is looking for someone."

"Ah, retrieval, likely violent," he says.

"I'd put money on it," I say, I raise my hand out, "Will Doe."

He hesitantly shakes my hand, "Mordin Solus," I knew it! I can't believe I'm meeting one of the team from ME2 barely a day out on my journey! "Injuries point to crash, krogan likely attempted to shield, unusual."

"How long have I been out," I ask.

"A few hours, trauma to head, several bruises, not bad," he answers, "can be up and moving, in a few hours." "Rest," he says when I try to get up putting a hand on my shoulder and pushing me back down. I lay back on the pillow.

He leaves a short while later, after running his omni tool over me a few times muttering to himself, " . . . mods, familiar . . . " I lay there and look around to get a feel for the room, a few machines with various readings on them, chair in parts of the room, and my stuff was on one of the chairs on the other side of the room.

"I wish I was biotic," I say to myself futilely reaching out towards my stuff. I look around for a nurse call button, I spot a button with a representation of a nurse on it and I push it. I wait a few seconds and one of Mordin's assistants walks in.

"How may I help you sir," She says, in a cheery voice.

"Can you hand me my belongings," I ask, "I'm trapped in this bed for a few hours and I'll go crazy without something to do."

"Why don't you watch the TV," she suggests, I look down and notice a remote. God I miss a lot of details.

"I will, sorry for interrupting you," I say grateful. I pick up the remote and start watching the TV, I scroll around the TV, "it's like every channel is SyFy channel," I say scrolling through, but a lot like home there's hundreds of channels and still nothing on. I turn the TV off. I hear the door whoosh open, and Tali is standing there.

"Will," she says walking over, with cheer she says, "I'm glad your OK."

"It'll take a lot more than a crash to kill me," I say grinning. We sit there, man it occurs to me how little I have in common with my friends. Tali is into mechanical stuff, Garrus is into new models of Sniper Rifle, and Wrex is, well Wrex. Me, my interests include video games, reading, and procrastinating. So yeah not much in common. She stays silent, "I'm fine," I say to her.

She pulls up a chair, and sits next to my bed, "So what do we do now," she asks. Personally I wouldn't mind hanging around for a bit, but we still have Wrex's armor to get.

"Find the turian," I say to her, "Wrex is counting on us." I start to try and get up, small pains but they were subsiding. I notice I'm in a patient's gown. The last time I was in one of these was... after my mods were implanted, Liana was there. I let out a sigh. "On to life," I say with acceptance. I shoo Tali out of my room while I get in my armor. Under-suit, shin plate, forearm plate, chest plate, and cloak and cowl. I see a slight blue shimmer for an instant as my shields activate. It fades and I'm in my armor and ready to go. Except for my pistol, "Why do I keep losing my weapons," I ask the world. I hear the door whoosh open, Mordin is standing there, "I'm fine," I say to him.

"Mods fascinating, where did you get them," he asks.

I'm not sure if I should tell him or not, I mean the Owner's gone but I haven't told anyone else that I used to work for some powerful shadow person. "Cerberus," I say, "tried to make me a super soldier."

"Success, from where I stand," he says back. "Though know you're lying," he says, "you're mods same as agents of the Owner." I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, though that doesn't translate as it shows clear on my face. "Worked in STG," he explains, "had run ins with agents of the Owner." "Very few were pleasant," he continues, he's expecting trouble, I listen intently security mechs are outside.

"I'm on vacation," I say to him. "I'm not going to cause any trouble."

"Professor," one of his assistants runs in, "the Blue Suns are here."

"See I'll go help," I say, "I just need my pistol back." I hold my hand out expectantly.

"Can handle it myself," he says shrugging off my offer, "you will be confined to room, don't try to leave, mechs outside door." "And your friends doors," he says walking out.

Wow Mordin's ruthless, "Though for all he knows I'm some agent of an entity that has declared itself to be his enemy," I say to the air, "so it's logical to take security precautions." I hate logic one of my favorite quotes was, "We, kick out logic and do the impossible, that's the way team Gurren rolls!" Wow I haven't thought of my favorite shows since this whole journey began. I have been preoccupied with saving the galaxy, I wonder if I could find Gurren Lagann on the Extranet... Wow I go weird places when I start thinking. I pull out my omni tool and start sifting through the Extranet, damn nothing on Omega. I search for the song, "Libera me from hell"... bingo I can't believe the song is actually in the stations Extranet. I begin playing it. I love how this song mixes opera and rap, an unorthodox coupling that pays off in a cool song. The door opens and Mordin walks back in, his clean doctor's outfit stained with several shades of blood, the music is still playing through my omni tool. I make no effort to turn it off.

"Interrogation," he explains, "I ask you answer." I turn off the music and turn to him. I pull out a chair and take a seat.

"What do you want to know," I ask him seeing no other way out of the situation. I could try and fight my way out I might win too, but Wrex is in rough shape according to him, and I really didn't want to make an enemy of a future comrade.

"What was your mission," he asks.

"Reconnaissance," I say using the big word to make it sound cooler, "I was originally ordered to check out Eden Prime." "After I landed I teamed up with Commander Shepard," I say to him I pause to let the name sink in, "we fought our way through the geth till I had to check on my . . . partner." These thoughts bring me back to Liana, leaving me alone in the hospital to chase a ghost. "I joined Shepard's crew a short time after, and was there at the battle of the Citadel," I continue my story, "I was injured by a piece of Sovereign that fell on me." "I woke up in the hospital five months later, to find out Shepard was dead, and my partner was gone," I still have a piece of sadness over both facts, "I also heard that the Owner's ship the Circumference was destroyed and all contact was lost with him.""I set out on a journey to search around aimlessly," I say to him, "I'm a galactic tourist now that the Owner's dead."

"Doubt he's dead, hard to kill, harder to kill than you," he interjects, "due to disappearance of partner, guess that she remade contact and is joining him." "Strange that you were left alone."

"How did you know my partner was a she," I ask, oh no, I just asked Mordin a question.

"Discomfort when mentioned, emotional due to abandonment," he answers, "assumption it was a woman."

"You assume correctly," I say to him unsurprised he had reasons, "Liana was her name, I never learned her last name."

An almost insignificant flash across his face, recognition? Has Mordin heard of Liana? "Explains why you were left alone, cared about you back," he says hypothesizing, "lying to you if left going away message."

I cross my arms a visible sign of defiance, "I believe her," I say in a tone of certainty.

"Don't know her, know the Owner," he says back, "he wouldn't have left you alone otherwise."

I could argue Liana's innocence until the second coming of Shepard, but I really didn't want to spend that much more time here. "You've known who I was from the beginning," I accuse, "you already knew me."

"Kept up to date, heard of Shepard's crew," he says, "unusual to have such a mix of species in a group, searched not hard to find." "Will Doe," he says, "remarkably little known about your origins, not wiped away never existed." Oh no if he's going to torture me to death with talking it wont take long. "Backwater planet," he asks himself, "maybe likely hood low, colonies keep a firm census, not colonial born from slaves, no, no marks of any kind no mental trauma." "Born in secret, likely hidden from records." "No, no loyalty shown to Owner..." he continues through various theories I wont specify until finally I almost go mad. I haven't told anyone but no ones tried torturing me yet so I give him a hint.

"What was it Conan Doyle said, 'when you've removed the impossible whatever remains however improbable is the truth," I interrupt Mordin.

"Hinting at improbable origins," he says finally taking note of something I've said, "time travel, future, no past," he says, "included in events too easily, dimensional travel," he says. "You are from an alternate dimension," he says looking at me in a new light.

"I'll not confirm nor deny your theories," I say so that at least I don't tell him.

"Most likely altering time line," his eyes widen for a moment, "said my name when entering." "I become involved in future events," damn it he's way too smart for his own good. "No details, must stay unaware." "At least understand not a threat," he says, "free to go take friends."

"My gun," I say to him holding my hand out expectantly. He pulls my pistol off a clip on his hip. It felt good to be back in my hand, this gun was more than defense, it was the gun Shepard used to kill Saren Areterius. "When can Wrex travel," I ask him suddenly remembering he was worse off than me.

"Soon, krogan regenerate quickly, this one faster than others," Mordin answers alleviating most of my fears.

"How long a day two days," I ask him trying to get an idea of the time.

"Day, two days at most," he answers, "tough krogan."

I realize something Mordin knows probably a hundred times more about the Owner than me. "Do you know if the Owner has any bases anywhere," I ask him.

"Well hidden, suspect high-ranking officials in pocket, information unavailable," he says, "would help if able."

"Well thanks for patching me and my friends up," I say heading for the door. I've got a day to get some sort of lead on Tonn Actus, or just search around RPG style and see what turns up.

* * *

**A/N I liked the idea of Mording guessing my origins thought it would be interesting, I don't know the exact time that Mordin sets up his clinic, so I just put it in at this point. Tell me if I misrepresented Mordin in any way. I hope I'm not disappointing anyone with this story... just a little worried when I said if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything... and no ones said anything...**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Here's chapter 3, I'm hoping to get the chapters up one by one diligently and most likely irregularly... you all could probably guess but my stories are not beta'd... Enjoy CH.3**

* * *

**Ch. 3**

"**Our Pilgrimage proves we are willing to give of ourselves for the greater good. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this?"**

**TalìNorah Nar Rayya**

So I have a few days before Wrex gets back on his feet, I can use this time to search for Tonn Acius, or I can search around Omega and look for stuff to do on the murder Capitol of the Galaxy. Ok . . . I'm gonna go find some leads into Acius, and when you think of Omega there's only one N.C. that sticks out more than anyone . . . Aria. Before that though I go to check on Wrex and Garrus.

"I'm all right," Garrus says, "minor injuries." I should've figured that everyone's too important for me to kill them on an accident.

"We're lucky we're alive," I say, "we got attacked by pirates and crashed into a space station." "And the only person worse for wear is Wrex," I finish. "I'm going to go look for a lead into Wrex's turian."

"I'll be on my feet before he is," Garrus says, "so just wait for me to get back up and I'll go with you."

"I want to find this guy as soon as possible," I say to Garrus, "I'll be fine with Tali." "We are a part of the crew that took out Saren, hell we were with Shepard when Saren died," I say with a slight laugh, "I think we can handle Omega."

"We'll be fine Garrus," Tali says who had entered the room. "I can look out for Will," she continues.

I stand up and put my arm around her shoulders, "That's right I have Tali to protect me."

"I see I have nothing to worry about," Garrus says he smiles at us, "have fun, don't talk to strangers and have her back before 11."

"I have a shotgun," Tali says to Garrus, I love that line.

"Never mind," he says to take back his words.

"Now then on to life," I say to Tali. "Wrex first," I say after some moments consideration. We wave goodbye to Garrus and head into the next room over, we see Wrex held down by various straps. I'm a little worried about that.

"Precaution," Mordin who was in the room said, "blood rage, dangerous, keep tied down for own safety."

"He's right," Wrex who was awake says, "when a krogan's injured we go berserk."

"You didn't," I say to him.

"I've got more control than most of my people," he says with his usual tone, "I was fighting it the whole way here."

"So at any moment you could've gone postal and killed us," I say a little more uncomfortable than I was a second ago.

"Postal," Tali asks, right I'm gonna have to be a little more clear.

"It's slang for violent, berserk," I answer her.

"Doe," Wrex says, "what are you going to do while I'm out," he asks me.

"Look for leads into Tonn Actus," I answer, "that is why we came to Omega."

"Get some information before I get out of this bed," Wrex says, with a faux threatening tone. I'm starting to get better at reading krogan, but it is really hard.

"We'll find something," I say to Wrex. "Hopefully," I say out of the side of my mouth.

"What are you doing here then," he asks, with an again (I think) fake growl.

"Leaving," I say grabbing Tali and heading out. We head out and I get my first good view of our surroundings before I had been weak from the crash now I can take in Omega in all it's glory . . . I wish I was still weak from the crash. It felt rusty, and evil. But I'm not gonna let that get me down. I've got Tali and with her everything seems a bit brighter. And it the feeling I get here is nowhere near as bad as Ilos, on Ilos I felt an acute feeling of loss and death that had matured over time. Here it still feels fresh, and it hasn't had time to get to Ilos level of affecting someone.

I decide to talk to Tali for a bit, "Tali," I say to get her attention.

"Yes Will," she says turning to me.

"I love having you around but I have to ask," I pause for a second I can't believe I'm asking this question, "why did you come with me."

"Why are you asking," she asks me.

"You have your pilgrimage," I say to her, "your people, your family . . . " A thought that hits me so hard I can't stand it, Tali's loyalty mission . . . her father . . . dies. It always made me sad when it was a game . . . I won't be able to stand it in real life. It will be worse this time, I'll know, I could change it . . . But I won't. It all has to happen as similarly as possible . . . all I can be to Shepard and the rest of the crew are a few more side quests. Otherwise who knows what would happen, maybe the mission fails completely, I can't chance it. I notice Tali staring at me I had tears beginning to form.

"They aren't going anywhere," Tali says, there it is again that feeling in my stomach. She only has so much time left with her father and she's stuck out here with me. Damn it I never think things through.

"You should cherish all the time you get," I say to her before I can control myself.

"I want to make sure you don't get yourself killed," she answers, "I'm going to return." "But I need a pilgrimage gift first."

"Then after we get Wrex's armor I'll buy you a ship," I say.

"So quick to get rid of me," she says, with a small laugh, there was an undertone of . . . sadness?

"I can't keep you away from your family," I say to her.

"I wouldn't see my father that often even if you did bring me back now," she says sadly. We stand there for a minute in awkward silence.

"I think we should go for a walk," I suggest to Tali changing the subject.

"I thought we were going to look for information," Tali asks.

"Who says we can't go for a walk while doing it," I say smiling.

"Where do you want to go," she asks.

"Afterlife," I say without a second thought. I want to see if I can meet the "Queen" of Omega. We head off down through the halls past doors and around shady characters. We try our best to avoid confrontation and just try and blend in . . . It's kinda hard when quarians have such a bad reputation and the fact I kept my arm protectively over her shoulders, meant that we got more than a few bad looks. I would've thought Omega would be more tolerant, due to the mish mash of cultures. Turns out that each are extremely territorial and in some cases Xenophobic. So we usually passed through such areas quickly, but some places not quickly enough. A group of Blue Suns, a mercenary organization decides to pick on us.

"Isn't this an unusual pairing," one of the group says. I do a quick headcount six of them every last one a batarian. Now I'm usually not one to judge based on species, but these were blue suns, and the stories you hear about batarians are just . . . awful. Colonies hit all the people made into slaves, or killed, these people are like the Nazi's of Mass Effect. Standing around average human height they have four eyes two in the normal place and two above their brow line, weird multiple nostrils. They surround us. Me and Tali go back to back.

"A human and a quarian," another batarian says. "Are you a biotic," the batarian asks.

"No," I answer. I keep my hand close to my pistol.

"Oh well," the batarian says, and his group moves off. One turns and throws a rock at me. I catch it.

"What was that," I ask him.

"Test," he answers. Another batarian walks over, and they hold a whispered conversation.

I manage to catch tiny snippets, ". . . no implant . . . mods . . . might interest them . . . " Wait I remember something about the collectors being interested in humans, I don't remember where but it fits . . . the six are all huddled together me and Tali start inching away. We keep them in sight until one turns to us.

"Hey," he shouts the others turn and the chase is on. Tali and I are much faster than these guys but we have no idea where we are going.

"Tali," I say to her through breaths, "we should split up."

"Why," she asks, she's slightly more out of breath.

"They're after me," I say to her, "I can keep away from them."

"I can keep pace with you," Tali says. I'm modified I could keep this up for a while, but I see Tali starting to struggle the more we run.

"Ambush," I say to her, "around the next corner." She nods and we put on a last burst of speed, she pulls out her shotgun and takes one side of the entrance. The leading blue sun doesn't get hit. She waits for the third one. The blast knocks him through the air toward his friends. I shoot the other two in the legs taking them down. I walk over and take their weapons off their magnetic clips as Tali fires shots down the alley. Pistol and Assault rifle, now that I think about it I haven't used one of these, I decide against it. I smash the loading chamber on the assault rifle and toss it away. I pull out my pistol coupled with the new one. Both were M-3 Predators high enough rate of fire and accurate enough for the job I had in mind. I look to the two batarians before I go back to join Tali, I give each a kick to the face for good measure they both crumple on the ground. I get on the other side of the entrance, Tali had managed to take down two more. I start firing the pistols down the way toward the last one.

"I give up," he shouts, I see his weapon skid across the floor. I put my pistols away and start walking down the alley toward him. I see some way to fight the reapers . . . well kill some of their drones. The Merc notices me and tries to run away, but I catch him quickly. I grab him and hold him in the air with one arm.

"What were you going to do to me," I ask, seething.

"Nothing . . . " he says.

"Lie to me again and I'll let my friend have you," I say gesturing to Tali who was checking the mercenaries that were alive. She had her shotgun on them. "She's not as nice as me."

He seems incredulous of the threat, he starts to say something, I hear a shotgun blast. "He tried to pull another weapon," Tali shouts. That makes up the Merc I'm holding's mind.

"We were going to give you to the Collectors," he says, "they pay top credit for anything unusual." "We thought someone with your mods would get a good price," he says fearing my reprisal. Instead of being mad, I was happy, I can get some measure of revenge for Shepard.

"Where were you going to meet them," I ask. I'm still holding him off the ground.

"Warehouse, I'll show you the way," he says a lot more helpful now. I slowly let him down.

"Try and run and you won't get far," I say. He nods fervently, and he begins leading us through Omega. "Maybe we should have tried to get a guide from the beginning," I say to Tali.

"You do know he's likely leading us into a trap," she answers.

"If he does, he's the first to go," I say to her, to him I say, "hear that you lead us into an ambush and I'll make sure you're the first that goes down when the fighting starts, and we will fight."

He speeds up we reach the outside of an abandoned looking warehouse, looks like something put this place through hell. Bullet holes a door looks like it had been rammed out. I ask my guide a question, "What happened here."

"The ones who lived here were attacked by someone there were makeshift cells we think it was some kind of rescue, ," The batarian answers, "they escaped in a vehicle and took off down the way."

We enter and I hear people pleading, "Please let us out," followed by a gruff shout of "Quiet."

I pull my pistol and grab our guide, he swallows, I put the pistol to his head as we enter through another door. This whole warehouse looks like a war zone. The group in the room gets my attention immediately, a group of batarians I thought the blue suns worked with multiple different species. All I've seen so far are batarians. There were only three of them. They jumped the moment we entered. Curses were said as they reached for weapons, Tali aims her shotgun, I take aim at one that had that holo armor from ME2, the officer of this group.

"Where's your team," the officer asks.

"Gone," my guide answers, "they took them all out."

"What is it you want," the officer asks turning his attention to me.

"What makes you think I want anything," I ask. This conversation I must say is not one I've ever imagined having at any point in my life.

"You came to us," he says, "you want something, everyone wants something." I glance covertly at Tali.

"I want the people you have here freed," I say to him. I actually wanted to kill some collectors but beggars can't be choosers.

"You're going to trade one of my men for the prisoners," he asks with a laugh. "He was dumb or cowardly enough to be caught by you." He pulls out a hand cannon and shoots the Merc. "Now what've you got," he asks laughing. Damn those pistols are strong, the round went straight through this guys armor and deflected off my shields.

I can bargain my way out or shoot my way out, "How much," I ask the batarian.

"What," he asks.

"How much are those prisoners worth," I ask, I have a lot on me.

"It's not the creds," the batarian says, "the collectors trade some high grade tech for a few humans, more for biotics or other strange humans." "The edge is worth more than credits," he finishes I have a feeling I just failed the bargaining part.

Ok then plus 5 renegade, I shoot the leader before we say anything else. It deflects off his shields. I open up with my two pistols tearing into his shields, while he returns fire with his hand cannon, I see the gauge for my shield begins to fall fast. I shoot faster, Tali had surprised one Merc overloading his weapon then turned and blasted the other. It was the leader and I, and it was a game to see who turned away first, whose tech was better. I see a round deflect off his armor, but it had met resistance from his shields and passed through but not with enough to pierce through. I fire the last round in my other pistol, and it goes straight through his chest. The same time his round punches through my shoulder, and I actually spin from the force of impact.

I go down, "Medic," I shout to Tali. Damn it this hurts, it's the first time I've actually been shot, most of the time I ducked back behind cover to recharge. Tali turns to me, the Merc with the overloaded gun pulls a pistol, I pull up mine and aim it at the Merc and pull the trigger . . . click . . .

* * *

**A/N: We seem to have gotten sidetracked, what's going to happen to Tali, how mad will Wrex be if we don't get any leads, and when will Garrus get more screen time? Find out next time on... voice echos dramatically "Odyssey 2184 4 4 4." ...sorry...**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Ch.4 I'm trying to put more into the chapters trying to make each at least 2,000 words long. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Ch. 4**

"**I am Omega"**

**Aria T'loak**

Time freezes, the click from my gun, the batarian who had changed his target when I pulled my pistol. Tali who realized the trouble at her back. The world slowly begins to come back to it's normal pace. I pull my arm back and whip it out at the batarian, launching my pistol through the air at him. He fires off a shot, but it grazes my arm. I scream in pain, Tali spins on the batarian who had been hit in the face by my pistol, I hear the shotgun blast faintly. I'm bleeding . . . "Tali . . ." I see her fill my blurry view, "Hold on . . . hold on . . . " slowly everything goes black.

I'm slowly coming back, a different face is in my view, "Mordin," I say to the salarian.

"Conserve strength, injury was bad, fixed it though," he says. "Was forced to repair shoulder with cybernetics," he explains. "Lucky had armor, Owner bad but resources good," he continues, "took edge off bullet, would have lost a lot more if full power."

"What happened," I ask weakly.

"Quarian contacted us, don't usually make house calls, made exception," he explains. "Passed out, went into shock, worried her." He gestures to an unconscious Tali, who was sleeping in a chair leaning against my bed.

"So I once again owe you my life doctor," I say to him my strength slowly returning. "How long have I been out," I ask.

"Three days, glad you're awake, krogan was getting agitated," Mordin says, "will be happy to see your all right, or angry at being hurt can't tell, krogan different from others." "Turian patrolled area, seemed to dislike Omega," Mordin continues, "suspect vigilantism in future." "Quarian hasn't left bed side since got here," he says, "seemed distraught, cares for you, interesting friends."

I look at Tali, "I wouldn't trade them for anything," I say to Mordin.

"Well leave you alone, make sure krogan doesn't bother for short while," he says getting up to leave, I thought I saw a faint trace of a smile before he left.

I wonder if Tali should know about my past . . . no, if I told her I was from another dimension and knew the events that were to come . . . She'd probably hate me after her father died. So I can't tell her, what about Garrus? No, not him either he loses his whole squad due to a traitor. I don't even know how he'd react if I told him then he lost his squad. And I don't think Wrex cares enough to know, so I won't tell him either. I could tell them how I really got my mods . . . yes that'll work give some information and keep the rest secret.

"Will," Tali says, she had woken up while I was in my own world.

"Tali," I say, "I'm so glad you're . . . " I'm cut off as she hugs me, I hug her back. "All right."

"You bosh'tet, I was fine," she says to me angrily, "you were the one who got shot twice."

"Actually the second one grazed me," I say to her, "it was that hand cannon that did the most damage."

"I'm happy you're all right," she says to me, I hear the smile in her voice, "see you do need me."

"I never said I didn't," I say back to her, looking into her eyes. There's a definite tension . . . which is broken by Wrex and Garrus.

"Will I thought you said you could handle Omega," Garrus says entering, anger evident in his voice, "instead your out there for an hour and come back shot."

"Well . . . " I try to think of a response, "at least I'm still alive."

"You're wasting time," Wrex says, "we need to find a lead on Tonn Actus." Awe Wrex I didn't know you cared.

"I know a place that has all the information you need," I say to him with half certainty.

"Really," Wrex asks, "where."

"Afterlife," I reply, "Aria T'loak."

"Isn't she the boss of Omega," Garrus asks, coming down from his anger.

"Yes she is," I say back, "if anyone would know where Actus was, it would be her."

"How do you know her," Tali asks. She had crossed her arms.

"I don't know her," I say to them, "I know of her."

"So we should visit this Aria," Wrex says. "All right get up," he says to me.

"I'm injured I should have bed rest," I say with a fake whine.

"Your shoulder got shot not your legs," he says to me, "move it." After I stand up, he leaves the room.

"Big softie," I say to Tali and Garrus. They look at me incredulously, and I grin. "Now get out while I change back into my armor." They leave the room and I head over to my stuff which was once again bundled on the chair farthest from my bed. My shoulder feels strange, and I look over at it. Ok I've got a battle scar now, a scar on my shoulder where the bullet entered, and robotics in me is it strange I find that cool? I put all my gear back on, including my new pistol. "On to life," I say to the room. I'm awfully calm about being shot, I should ask Mordin for more details on my mods.

I don't get the chance to the moment I exit Wrex practically pushes me through the door, "See you later," I shout to Mordin.

This time no one gets in our way on the way to Afterlife, I guess it helps when you have a huge, battle-scarred krogan leading the way. I never really realized how scary Wrex was, I mean he parted crowds like Moses parte the red sea. Before we knew we were standing in front of a familiar, to me at least, place, Afterlife.

"Come on," I hear a whiny human say, "Aria's expecting me." Oh my god, that's the guy from ME2 who's always standing there waiting to get in. I laugh, this causes my friends to stare at me.

"Inside joke," I say to them.

"Let's go," Wrex says walking past the line and going straight for the door. Ok I'm going to follow our huge scary krogan.

We reach the door and the batarian bouncer looks up at Wrex, "Get back in . . . " he gets interrupted over his comm. "Aria's expecting you," he says to us, "go right in." Strange I wonder what the queen of Omega has to say to us.

We enter, and I'm assailed by some of the loudest music I've heard. But it's not unpleasant, I look around the entrance and say, "Strange."

"What is," Garrus asks.

"They call this place afterlife," I answer him, "and it looks like hell." Garrus doesn't respond we head down the long hallway and . . . the big reveal it looks pretty much the same as in game, digital fire, giant holographic tube thing in the center of the room . . . a raised platform with asari strippers dancing around it. I think I'm not the most covert of people when I feel Tali's elbow hit me in the ribs.

"Oof, what'd I do," I ask her.

"How old are you," she asks, oops I had been staring a little too intently.

"Old enough," I respond without giving the actual number.

Garrus turns as though something had dawned on him, "how old are you," he asks.

"I am . . . ," I pause, "Eighteen."

Tali and Garrus look surprised, "You're only eighteen," Garrus says, "we've followed a teenager to the murder Capitol of the galaxy." He face palms.

"How old did you think I was," I ask him.

"Old . . . er," he says back.

"None of this is important," Wrex interrupts as we reach the stairs that lead to Aria's VIP area.

A pair of batarians gets in our way, "Aria said just the human," one of them says gesturing to me.

Wrex looks back at me, I put a fake smile, "Get me Actus location," he says, "or don't come back."

"All right, all right," I say to him with little fear, he wouldn't hurt me, "I'll go get our info." I head up the stairs I'm a little nervous, I mean I'm about to meet the de facto ruler of Omega. Just be polite don't insult and don't appear weak. I reach the top and several bodyguards surround me, pistols drawn. I stay calm and keep a blank expression on my face. A guard walks up and takes my guns, he puts them down on a table in plain sight. Aria motions with her head, she's standing looking toward the holographic column in the center of the main room. The guards put their guns away.

Another does a quick scan of me "Stand still," he orders."Heavy mods," he says to Aria, "guy could throw a krogan."

"I am standing right here," I say to the scanner, "all you had to do was ask."

"You can never be too sure," Aria says, her voice was, confident, absolutely so like she knows even with my mods I would never be able to hurt her. She wore the same outfit from ME2 when you meet her.

"I have questions," I say to her, "I heard you have answers."

"Depends on the questions," she says, turning to me, her outfit was black and skin tight, she wore a half jacket that was white, and I've always thought that asari were beautiful, but Aria had this strength in her features that kinda said, 'try something and die,' Tattoos on her face, just lines, one going from her chin to her lip, another crossing the bridge between her eyes. I realize I was gawking.

"Sorry," I say to her, "new to the whole meeting powerful figures thing." "Seeing as you run Omega a little nervousness is to be . . . " I'm babbling now. I think I may be attracted to Aria, but it may just be the whole asari thing . . .

"You are very awkward for what I've heard of you," she says amused by my nervousness.

"And what have you heard," I ask, "only good things I hope."

"I heard that you and your friends are Shepard's crew," Aria says showing off her intelligence network.

"Correct," I say to confirm it, "we are here looking for someone." "A turian named Tonn Actus," I finish.

"Actus, the krogan wants to get something back," she guesses.

"That's what I believe, but he's awfully tight lipped about it though." I say to Aria.

"Send him up," Aria says. I see the guards tense a bit, scared of Wrex in close quarters I would be too.

I hear him thud up the stairs, he takes one look at Aria and says, "Aleena," my jaw drops. That's the Merc chick he tells you about if you talk to him enough in ME. She and him fought on a space station and were tied for days until it exploded, Wrex got away and thought that Aleena, Aria was dead. But received a message that said 'better luck next time.'

"You'll catch flies," Aria warns, I close my mouth, "everyone leave us." "I want to talk with my old friend in private." I grab my guns off the table and holster them. I hope they don't take too long doing whatever it is they're going to do . . . bad images, bad images! I head down the stairs trying to smack the image out of my mind.

"What's going on," Tali asks.

"Wrex met an old girlfriend," I say to them. The look of surprise on Garrus' face was priceless, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"Wrex went out with the queen of Omega," Garrus says surprised. Tali was also visibly taken surprised.

We wait for what feels like an hour, "what's taking them so long," Garrus asks.

Bad thoughts, bad thoughts, "I don't know," I say to him.

We hear a thud, we turn and see Wrex laying on the ground, Aria was looking down at him glowing blue with biotics, he had been thrown from Aria's overlook area, she looks down at him. "Better luck next time," she says with a smirk. Guards draw guns and point them at us. Aria motions and the guards put their guns away, and the whole scene dissolves in an instant.

"She hasn't changed much," was all Wrex would say walking over. We stand there in shocked silence, "I found the turian."

"Where is he," I ask recovering first. I'm not even gonna ask about what happened up there, no fight the bad thoughts.

"Warehouse, she gave me the location," Wrex says, wait is that a faint smile. Ok, and my mind is now destroyed.

"Let's go," I say, I need something to take my mind off events. We head out of Omega, and I get another elbow to the ribs for staring at the asari. "I'm not coming here with you anymore," I say to Tali.

"Ooh a lovers quarrel," Garrus says, as we walk.

"I'll hold him down you blast him with your shotgun," I whisper to Tali.

Despite previous feelings she laughs. "Sounds like an idea." Aforementioned plans never go into action as we arrive at a taxi. Wrex gets in the front, Garrus, Tali and I sit in the back. Tali in the middle.

Wrex gives the driver the location of the warehouse, "Get us there fast," Wrex says to the driver. I hear the driver gulp. And we take off. Speeding through Omega's innards really gives you a perspective, all this place is controlled by those who oppress the weak. I can see why Garrus wanted to make a change, and I'm half tempted to join his group in the future. But I can't, I'd care about the nameless squad members who would die, I might try and change something. Garrus has to cut all ties when he joins Shepard's crew the second time, and he has to be focused.

"We're there," the driver says. I handle the bill and we get out.

"We'll be right back," I say to the driver, "stay here and keep the meter running."

"Got it," he says, I shut the door.

I turn and see everyone double checking their weapons, Tali and Wrex checking shotguns, Garrus his sniper rifle, me I just look down. Ok, and my pistols are still there. Wrex gets a firm look on his face an unyielding look, like he's not gonna leave this warehouse until he finds his armor. We head for the front door. "Tali," I get her attention, "get the door."

"Got it," she answers, she heads to the panel beside the door. She begins bypassing the locks on the door. The indicator light goes green, and the door slides open.

"This is the place," Wrex says, "my family's armor is in here."

"Family armor," Garrus asks.

"This guy has my father's father's armor," Wrex answers turning to Garrus. "I'm not leaving until I get it back," he says with a firm resolution. We draw weapons and step inside the room, first area is kinda empty, I would've expected guards but no, there was no one in here.

"Clear," Garrus says.

"Ya think captain obvious," I say to him, he glances over at me. "Sorry," I say.

"3... 2... 1... now," Wrex says, we bust through the second door . . . just as three guards were coming through. They're shocked seeing what must seem like a commando team bust through the door. I flinch, Wrex, Tali, and Garrus don't, two get blown away by shotgun blasts the last had a hole through his chest. I have enhanced speed, but I hesitate occasionally. Wrex slaps me in the back of the head, "Don't hesitate kid," he says with a growl. The fight's on, I take a quick look around the warehouse, crates some big enough to hold a Mako were scattered around leaving plenty of cover for us and the pirates. I dive behind the nearest one not wanting a repeat of my last gunfight. Garrus sets up, where he gets a relatively clear view of the area, Wrex moves through the area blasting anyone unfortunate enough to come across him. Tali and I are sort of left in a very supporting role. We stand back and take potshots at anyone who pops their heads up. I sight a turian, I shoot he goes down. My previous experience with getting my shoulder shot has made me a little less sympathetic to my enemies. We hear the echoing sound of Garrus' sniper rifle and hear a groan as a Merc goes down, I look for more targets, I hear someone scream followed by a shotgun blast.

"Garrus and Wrex could've done this alone," I say to Tali.

"They do make a good team," Tali says as we hear another death groan.

"We give up," I hear a distinct turian voice shout. You can always tell their voice has a weird quality to a sort of double sound. I stand up, a round bounces off my shields I duck back down. "Damn it," I hear the voice say.

He tried to trick me to kill me, I start moving fast through cover, I come upon a Merc, he turns to me, I smash him in the head with my pistol. I break his gun and keep going. I reach a ramp that leads to a second level. I slowly sidle along the wall to the entrance on the second level. I see several mercs behind cover taking shots at Garrus, one was a turian and was barking orders to his subordinates, " . . . where'd the one in black go . . . " he asks. I round the corner I take out the two mercs beside him and rush forward I drop one of my pistols and grab his gun as he turns to me. I wrench it out of his hands and toss it away. I drop my second pistol, and I hold him out into the open air over the second floor. "I could survive this," he says with a laugh. I hear a gunshot, his eyes widen, then cloud over, he goes limp. I drop him, and he thuds to the ground on the first floor. I stand there looking down at him when Wrex arrives on the second floor.

"Good job kid," he says to me. I turn to him, and we head down the hall into a room filled with krogan weapons and armor. Wrex begins rummaging through them, I step outside, I stare off across the warehouse, the war zone, crates were broken open due to constant fire from the combatants. Tali and Garrus were talking about something, I stare down at Tali, I care for her, but I don't think it could ever work beyond friendship, hell if we just kissed she'd get sick, I don't want to endanger or hurt her in any way. God I'm hopeless . . .

I hear Wrex shout, "Got it."

I run into the room, and he's holding the armor with a sense of . . . reverence, amusement? I can rarely tell krogan emotions beyond rage. After those emotions flicker across his features a new one arrives he sort of sets his jaw. "I can't believe my ancestors wore this piece of crap," he says to himself still not aware I was there, "still it' back where it belongs."

"Wrex," I say to get his attention, now I have to get him back where he belongs.

"Yeah Doe," he says still looking at the armor.

"Go home," I say to him, "your people need you."

He looks up at me, "I have to make sure you don't die before getting that data," he says referring to the cure data from Virmire.

"I told you Wrex I'm not gonna die until I complete my promise," I say to him, I'm sad to force him to go, "but your people need you more than I do."

He looks over at me, a different look than usual. I think he dislikes the fact I was handed strength and I didn't have to work for it, but now he seems to have a look of acceptance. "Fine," he says, "I'll go, you better not die."

I make a comical thumbs up pose, "Who the hell do you think I am."

"You're a strange warrior," he says, shaking his head with a laugh. I caught the word, he called me a warrior, I stand a little straighter. I just got a millennia old battle master to call me a warrior. That made my day.

* * *

**A/N: Won't be uploading chapters for the next few days, sorry.**

**Looks like Wrex is going home now, I'm kinda sad to send him off so early, but he has to go... If no one recognizes my line to Wrex I'm not gonna be happy. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter up, been busy...**

* * *

**Ch.5**

"**Its so much easier to see the world in black and white…. Gray? I don't know what to do with gray…."**

**Garrus Vakarian**

Wrex left for Tuchunka practically the moment the taxi set down. I was sad seeing him go, but I was the one who told him to. Besides we'll see him when Shepard wakes up in a little less than two years.

We had returned to Mordin's clinic, which had become our de facto headquarters on Omega. "I vote we leave," Garrus says, we had gathered in what had been my hospital room trying to decide what our next course of action would be.

"I'll second that," I say, I had enough of Omega, I've crashed, been shot, and had to see a friend leave. Omega, not lucky for me.

"We should use a transport service this time," Tali chimes in.

"Yes, that would be safer," Garrus says.

"Where should we go," I ask them, I'm up for anywhere in the galaxy.

"The Citadel," Garrus suggests, and I'd be good with that. It is a less evil giant space station.

"I'm in," I say, "how about you Tali."

She shifts around for a moment, "All right," she answers after a pause. I need to help her find a pilgrimage gift . . .

"So it's decided we are going to book passage on a ship to the Citadel," I say to them. Garrus and Tali nod. We don't have to pack, because all we have are the cloths on our backs and the guns in our holsters. I decide to say my goodbyes to Mordin, and I enter a room where he is treating a patient. "What happened to her," I ask him. She looked beaten and scarred.

"Prisoner," he explains, "saved by you and quarian, along with several others." He taps parts of his omni tool. "Will be fine." Oh yeah, the people in the warehouse, I'd forgotten about them.

"I wanted to tell you that we are leaving," I say to him, "I'm leaving you a going away present though." I pull out my credit chit and transfer three million credits into his account.

"Generous," he says, "will cover all medical bills for patients, new lab equipment, new assistant."

"Well good luck with that," I say to him with a smile, "see you around." I head out the door, and meet up with Garrus and Tali. "Now we're off," I say to them with a smile.

We make our way to the spaceport. It wasn't as simple as going into the airport and saying 'when's the next flight to the Citadel.' We had to actively search crew by crew, ship by ship, and considering none of us were willing to split up, we covered ground slowly. I had gotten a lead on a ship from a krogan who believed his captain would be willing to give us a ride for a price . . .

He tells us to meet in Afterlife in one of the private rooms. "All right," I say, "we'll be there." So here we are now in a small room bargaining over the price of passage.

"Gnaw said you wanted passage to the Citadel," the captain, an asari who was eye level with me says. I give her a quick once over, she liked black a lot, she wore a vest, no sleeve shirt underneath, black pants, and boots, mostly made of leather . . .

"That's right," I answer, seeing as it was my money that would pay, I'm the one doing the bargaining.

"Three passengers ten thousand each," she says to start the negotiations.

"We could buy our own ship for thirty thousand," I argue. I don't know what it is but something here feels familiar.

"But who'll pilot it kid," she asks, "you?" I know that dialogue sounds familiar, but where have I heard it.

I hate not remembering things it starts to bug me. "We don't need this," I say to Garrus and Tali. We stand and start to walk away. I feel her grab my arm.

"Fine," I hear her say, "20,000 for all of you." I was hoping I wouldn't actually have to walk away. Not too many crews were good with our group. Some turian and batarian crews didn't like me for being a human, some human and krogan crews didn't like Garrus cause he's a turian, and most crews didn't like Tali for being a quarian. So this ship was the first to offer a ride.

I turn on my heel and shake her outstretched hand, "Deal." I transfer the credits.

"My ship is in Docking bay 94," she says a satisfied look on her face, damn it I could have gotten passage cheaper, "if you're not there in an hour you'll be staying."

"Got it docking bay 94," I say, where have I heard something like this before.

As we start to leave, I see the krogan from before enter, I faintly hear the captain say, "Good catch this'll really save our necks." We head out of Afterlife to the docking bays. I take a last look around before we arrive at a dock with 94 stenciled above it. I'm not gonna miss this place. We head through the doors to an umbilical that connected, the ship to the station. I get a look at it, it's a freighter that much is obvious large blocky, but we see personalized touches in the shape of weapons added to places.

"I'd like to see those pirates take this thing on," I say to Tali and Garrus.

"Don't be too confident," Tali says looking at the ship. Now I'm scared, I mean if Tali isn't sure about the ship then I should be afraid.

"Well we won't get anywhere just standing here," Garrus says to dispel the silence that had settled over us.

"All right then lets go," I say heading for the airlock. A turian, is waiting by the door.

"Go on in," he says to us, "the captain told us to expect you." He opens the airlock, and we head inside. We get directions to an empty bunk room, "You're lucky," one of the crew had said, "the captain hasn't gotten any other passengers, this room's all yours."

I turn to Tali and Garrus, "That can be good and bad." The crewman scoffs and walks out of the room. "I'm not ordering any food now," I say to them. Probably get alien spit in it, which if it's a turian it might be able to kill me...

"You seem to speak your mind often," Tali says to me.

"Well, sometimes I do," I say, "mostly when it makes other people angry." I need to work on that.

"And what did you mean by not ordering food," Tali asks.

"In human culture if you insult an establishment it is a tradition to spit in their food or do other unmentionable things to it," I answer half-joking, she seems to ponder what I said. Oh no she's not going to take me seriously is she?

"It was a joke Tali," Garrus says.

"Ohhh," Tali says with her realization.

"Only sometimes," I add. We look around, I notice a pair of bunk-beds by the wall. I run over, "Top bunk," I say vaulting up. I hear the bed creak . . . I see Tali and Garrus looks, and I swear I can see Tali raise an eyebrow through her mask, "All right," I say getting down dejectedly and laying on the bottom bunk. Tali gets on the top bunk over me, Garrus on the bed in front of mine. "Garrus," I whisper.

"Why are you whispering," Garrus asks.

"I don't want to wake anyone," I say to him.

"Wake who, we're the only ones in here," Garrus declares.

"Tali could be asleep," I argue.

"I'm not," I hear her chime in.

"Ok then onto my original question," I say to get us back on the right track, "do you have any memorable cases."

"There was this one elcor diplomat," Garrus says, "he was hacking people up and selling their organs." He sighed, "had the station in a bit of a panic."

"Hell I'd be afraid of one of those giants going psycho," I add. "Anything that's less obviously violent," I ask.

"There was a case with a salarian geneticist," Garrus begins, did I just open the road to a side quest, "that case was a bit disturbing."

This is Garrus' side quest, let's get more info, "What happened."

Garrus says, "I was tasked with tracking black market trade on the Citadel." "Most of it's harmless," he explains, "nothing I needed to pursue."

"So how'd you find him," I ask.

"I noticed an increase in trade of body parts, organs mostly," he answers. "We usually get a few of those, but not the numbers I was seeing." "We weren't sure if there was a new black market lab or if some freak was harvesting organs from citizens," Garrus continues.

"This happens on the Citadel," Tali asks.

"Every so often, some lab sells unwanted parts through the black market," Garrus answers, "but they're not as bad as the psychos." "This case was different, there was more going on than we first realized," he continues.

"How'd you solve the case," I ask to keep the explanation moving.

"First, we got a hold of a sample and ran DNA tests," he explains, "the weird thing was, the match led us to a turian who was still alive and was very convinced he'd never lost his liver." "After a bit of digging, I discovered this turian worked briefly for Dr. Saleon," he pauses, "the geneticist." "So I went to his lab," he continues, "hoping to find evidence of cloned organ development." I can almost hear him sigh, "But there was nothing, no salarian hearts, no turian livers, not one krogan testicle."

"Ok, I'm sorry," I say to interrupt him, "krogan testicles, really."

I hear a slight amusement in Garrus' tone, "Some krogan believe that testicle transplants can increase their virility," he explains, "counteract the effects of the genophage." "It doesn't work, but that doesn't stop them from buying," he continues, "they'll pay up to ten thousand credits each, that's forty thousand for a full set." "Somebody's making a killing out there," he finishes with a small laugh.

"So back to the mad doctor," I say to get us back on track after my interruption.

"I brought in some of his employees for interrogation," Garrus answers, I've been in a C-sec interrogation room, "to see if I could get them to talk." "While I was interviewing one of them," he pauses looking for words, "I came across something . . . suspicious."

"I've been interrogated by C-sec before," I say to him, "I'm pretty sure I know what 'interviewing means."

Garrus ignores my comment and continues on, "one of my detainees started bleeding profusely during the interview." "We offered to patch him up and he got frantic," he adds, "freaked out." "I ordered a full exam, to find out what was going on," he continues, "our medics found incisions all over his body, some of them fresh."

"What did it mean," I ask for conversations sake.

"It meant that these people weren't just Dr. Saleon's employees," he answers, "they were test tubes, walking, living test tubes."

"He was growing parts in his own people," Tali says with an audible shudder.

"Exactly, he cloned their organs right inside their own bodies," Garrus answers, "then he'd harvest them and sell them off." "Most of the victims were poor," he explains, "he'd pay them each a small percentage of the sales, but only if the organs were good."

"What if they didn't," I ask, this is a lot scarier when it's happening in the reality you're living in.

"He'd just leave them in," Garrus answers with disgust in his voice, "most of them were a mess, but only on the inside - hidden so nobody could see it."

"Did he get caught," Tali asks.

"That's the worst part," Garrus answers, "we never caught him."

"That's a crappy ending," I exclaim, "why not."

"He ran," Garrus answers, "blew his lab, grabbed some of his employees, and headed for the nearest space dock." "By the time if found out, his ship was already leaving," Garrus says, "he threatened to kill the hostages if we tried to stop him."

"What did you do," Tali asks.

"I ordered Citadel defense to shoot him down," Garrus answers, "but C-sec headquarters countermanded my order." "They were worried about the hostages," he says an angry undertone in his voice, "worried about civilian casualties if the ship was destroyed so close to the Citadel." "I told them those hostages were dead anyway," Garrus seethes, "he'd just use them to make more organs, but they wouldn't listen."

"It sounds like this has been bugging you," I say to Garrus.

"No, but letting him get away like that..." I hear him sigh audibly, "All they had to do was disble that ship, stop him from running." "Maybe the hostages die, maybe they don't," he continues calming, "but at least we stop the bastard responsible for it all."

"I don't think I would've known what to do in that situation," I say to Garrus, I really don't know, I mean stop the doctor at the cost of innocents or let him go and farther down the road more people die. These situations aren't math problems, I'm just glad I don't have to make those decisions . . .

"Can't waste too much time worrying about it," Garrus says, "I just wish I could've stopped him." "That's all . . . " He gets quiet as if lost in thought.

"Any idea where the guy went after," I ask, and I've realized what my role is now. I have to get these guys side quests done since Shepard didn't have the time. Wrex with his armor, that's done, but Garrus' doctor and Tali's pilgrimage aren't. I've got to help them get moving before Shepard comes back.

"I send out feelers from time to time, hoping to find something," Garrus answers, "I thought I'd found him a while back." "He'd changed ships and changed his name to Dr. Heart – his idea of a joke, I guess," Garrus explains, "I told the military, but they weren't convinced it was him." "I got the transponder frequency for his new ship, but I just can't get anyone to check it out," Garrus sighs.

"Well I guess that'll be our next field trip," I say to Garrus a slight smile on my face.

"Will," Garrus says after a long silence, I hear Tali's rhythmic breathing, guess she's asleep. "Thanks," he says, and I hear him nod off. Now I just have to find a pilgrimage gift for Tali. I bundle my cloak and slowly drift off to sleep.

_Robots surge in around us, and we fire round after round at them. I hear Garrus grunt as he falls down. I pick him up we run for a door I feel an impact on my back . . . _

I slowly wake up, no ship rocking from explosions, no alarms blaring, no heading off to a mission that could possibly end in my death. It was weird, but I had gotten used to going to sleep and waking up in a battle, or on the way to a battle. My inner thoughts are distracted as Tali asks softly, "Will are you awake."

"Yes," I answer quietly. "What is it."

"We've traveled together from one side of the galaxy to the other," she continues our hushed conversation, "but I get the feeling you are holding something back."

I sigh, I try to weigh the pros and cons of telling Tali the truth, or at least part of the truth. I'm gonna hold back on the other dimension thing for a little while longer. "I am," I whisper quietly.

"What is it," Tali asks.

"Everything," I answer.

"Now you have to tell me," Tali says still whispering.

"What do you want to know," I ask her.

"How about your family," Tali asks, surprising me slightly.

"I have two siblings, a father, a mother, and some pets," I answer her.

"You have siblings," Tali asks, "what kind."

"The crazy kind," I answer with a small sad smile, "a big sister and little brother."

"What's it like having siblings," Tali asks, that's right quarians are only allowed one child.

"Insane," I answer, "they go through your stuff, bug you on end," I laugh. "Drag you around everywhere they go," I start to get sad, "watch out for you, call you on your faults . . . " I miss my family, I always thought I'd be a little sad about leaving them but never to this degree. I mean they always drove me nuts, but . . . I guess that's what family's are for.

"Do you miss your family," Tali asks noting the silence.

"Yes," I answer quietly, "I guess I do." "You," I ask.

"I miss my father," she answers and gets quiet, "and my mother."

"What are they like," I ask without thinking.

"My father is always working," I could relate to that, "my mother died when I was young." That's right Tali's mom is dead, crap I shouldn't have asked her about it. Why can I remember map layouts from most of the levels in the game but forget important social crap?

"Sorry," I say reflexively.

"You didn't know," Tali says sadly. Damn it I did know. I feel a pain start growing in my calf.

I jump up, "Cramp, cramp, cramp," I say hopping around the room. How come this happens during our tense moment? I feel the pain start to subside, and I see Tali staring at me. I hear her start laughing, but I do too. "Thanks Tali," I say, "your taking time out of your pilgrimage to make sure I don't get myself killed."

"Your welcome, but you did promise to help me find one," she answers.

"And I'll do everything in my power to fulfill my promises," I say to her with a comical bow. I see Garrus was awake. "How long have you been awake," I ask.

"Your sibling speech," Garrus answers. He never removes that scouter of his does he.

"You could've contributed to the conversation," I say to him.

"I didn't want to interrupt," he answers. "I found your dance amusing."

"I had a leg cramp," I say to Garrus, "I can't dance."

"I don't know," Tali says a joking tone, "you could pass with those moves."

I'm glad the tension was broken, "So what was that, hop, hop, hop," I say trying to redo my actions. I hear more laughing. I shrug, "I'll work on it."

"Ok now that we're up let's see what the captain has to say," Garrus says after we all calm down.

"All right," I say, "I'm already standing so I'm good to go."

I watch Tali get down from the top bunk my gaze wanders, she notices me watch her, I look away. I need to be much more discreet.

"So we're going to see the captain," I say quickly heading out of the door. I run headfirst into the krogan that the captain had talked to in the bar. "...er hello, Gnaw was it," I fight through my surprise. He looks down at me says nothing, and walks off. "Well he was sunny," I say to Garrus and Tali. They follow me as we head for the bridge, our first guess where the captain would be, and we are correct. The captain is standing behind the pilots chair looking out the window into space. "Ma'am," I say to get her attention.

"Ah, the passengers," she says as she turns. "I trust your trip has been enjoyable so far."

"Quite," I answer, "I was just wondering how long until we reach the Citadel."

"We're actually approaching the relay now," the captain answers. We look toward the object she had apparently been looking at when we walked in, a mass relay. "After that it will take a short while to get through serpent, then we dock, so I'd guess around half an hour."

We all stand and watch as we go through the mass relay, the captain turns away from us and stares wistfully out the window. I watch as we get closer and closer until the relay is right next to us, the screen goes blue for an instant. We appear in the middle of what I can only describe as an enormous purple mist, the serpent nebula.

"This is Citadel defense," I hear a voice say through the comm, "you have been randomly selected for a search, comply and everything will go smoothly."

"Damn new protocols," I hear the pilot say to the captain, "Citadel defense this is freighter MSV Empress, we will comply, going to rendevous coordinates." In no time a pair of frigates pulls up alongside us. I see a shuttle head toward us, "Search team," the pilot explains noticing our looks.

"I don't remember random searches," I say to Garrus.

"It's a new security protocol," Garrus explains, "because of how paranoid people are after Sovereigns attack." Great, and here I am with illegal modifications done to my body.

"I'll be laying down in my room," I say heading toward aforementioned room, waving over my shoulder, "wake me when we get there."

I hear a thud noise and the airlock open as I am passing by it, a trio of turians, a human, and an asari walk through. They all look at me, the only person in this particular hall way. "Sir," I see a turian say, "can you direct us to the bridge."

"That way," I say pointing down toward the bridge.

"Thank you, sir," the turian walks off down the hall. The human stares at me, with one of those looks that says 'where have I seen you before?'

He snaps his fingers, "You're one of Shepard's crew," he exclaims. The two turians and asari, take a better look at me. I do kinda stand out I guess, my clothes aren't normal, the armor with cloak and cowl combo not really an outfit you can miss.

"Yeah," one of the turians says realization in his voice, "you're the one who talked at her funeral." Wow, I'm famous by proxy.

"Shepard was my friend," I answer.

"You're the one with the mods," the asari adds. Great people know that . . .

"I heard the Council gave you a special pass," the other turian says, "that allows you through C-sec without any trouble."

"Weird," I say, "I haven't heard that."

The asari scans me with her omni tool, "It says here you're allowed to pass," she says looking at her omni tool. "Guess no one told you," she adds.

"That's a nice thing to know," I say, "keeps me from being worried about entering the Citadel." The turian comes back.

"Boss," the human says, "guess who this guy is."

"Will Doe," he answers, "one of Shepard's crew."

"How did you know," the human asks.

"I interviewed him on murder charges," he says. Oh crap, it's the turian that was my interrogator after I captured that turian in the markets.

"Nice to see you again," I say with a contemptuous smile, "how's your wrist."

"Fine," he answers. It's a stare off now, I don't know what it is but he doesn't like me.

"Well then if no ones going to arrest me falsely I'll be in my room." Ok not the smartest thing but this guy called me punk. I head back to my room, and lay down. What's the first room they search, of course the one I'm in. They walk in and start scanning mattresses, it seems all they do is walk by, I put my pillow over my head. Of course they search this room first . . . I hear a beeping noise and look up, it's the turian that was my interrogator is standing over me his omni tool out.

"Great," I say wryly.

"You are in possession of an unregistered firearm," he says I swear he's smiling. I toss him the pistol.

"Now you are in possession of an illegal firearm," I say back. It was the gun I picked up from the Blue Suns Merc.

"Your other firearm," he says pointing to my pistol.

I look wistfully down at my pistol, "It was a gift," I say to him. He does a quick scan and walks by. I lie down waiting for everyone to finally leave. After the room empty's I take a quick nap.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry about the long delays between chapters, things have been busy around my house. Enjoy CH. 6**

* * *

**Ch. 6**

"**Why is it whenever someone says 'with all due respect' they really mean 'kiss my ass'?"**

**Ashley Williams**

After I wake up, say a quick goodbye to captain and crew we head for Citadel customs. We are currently standing in line at C-sec customs office. Yeah that's the disadvantage of civilian travel compared to having a spectre for a boss, lines and paperwork. I hate lines, and paper work.

"You know I don't remember ever waiting in line when I worked with Shepard," I say to Garrus.

"We just walked through," Garrus agrees, we stand there.

The line inches forward, I start to hear arguments. "It's a ceremonial possession." "It's medicinal Red sand." "I don't know how that turian's head got in my bag."

We finally reach the front, "What is the reason for visiting," the Customs officer asks.

"Vacation," I say to her, I send her my identification information. She checks it and waves me through. I walk into a room that's a carbon copy of the one in ME2 where they scan Shepard.

"Sorry for the inconvenience sir," the turian behind the console says. I see a blue light scan me back and forth. I hear a chime as the C-sec officer clears me, "Enjoy your time on the Citadel."

"Thanks I will," I answer, wow guess I do have a license for these mods. I actually smile, a trip to the Citadel that doesn't have someone pointing a gun at me.

Well it's still early.

I wait at the exit, Garrus passes through a short while later. "Strangely enough you ended up being the one who took the least amount of time to get through."

We sit there for over an hour, "She was right behind you in line right," I say to Garrus.

"Yes directly behind me," he answers. I start tapping my foot. "Yes that'll get her out faster," Garrus says noticing.

"Why is it taking so long," I ask Garrus.

"C-sec doesn't trust quarians," Garrus answers, "it's likely they're interviewing her."

"How long could it take," I ask.

"Several hours," he answers. Damn prejudice- The door opens, I see Tali walk through.

"Bosh'tets," she finishes my thought. "Why is it every time I visit the Citadel I spend hours going through customs?"

"At least we're through," I say to her trying to alleviate the tension.

"How did you get through so fast," Tali asks poking me in the chest. I can see she has some pent up anger.

"I walked through," I answer.

"You have illegal mods," she continues, "why weren't you held up."

"Apparently I got a special license in thanks to my work during the attack on the Citadel," I answer.

"Well how about we continue this back at my place," Garrus says to get us moving.

"Wait a minute," I say, "you still have your apartment."

"Of course," he answers.

"Ok," I say eagerly I've always wanted to see Garrus' place. "Lead the way." Garrus heads off, we follow behind him. We walk for what feels like hours before we finally reach the door.

"I'll remind you I haven't been here since we left to chase Saren," Garrus says opening the door. I have to admit it didn't look like I'd hoped but how I expected. Utilitarian. There weren't any frivolous things in his apartment, it was bare minimum. The walls were not decorated, no photos or anything hanging off them. A couch was in the center of the room facing a vid screen. A door that I would guess leads to a bedroom, and a storage looking thing in the back of the room probably the turian equivalent of a fridge. "Sorry," he says following my gaze, "I don't have any Levo or Quarian friendly foods."

"Guess we'll have to do some grocery shopping," I reply, wow a thought occurred to me. Even grocery shopping would be cool in ME. "I'll go," I say volunteering.

"Do you know where the grocery store is," Garrus says cutting me off.

"No," I say hanging my head.

"Do you know what foods are levo and which are dextro," he continues.

"No," I sink lower.

"Do you-."

"I think we get the idea," Tali interrupts. Thanks for the save.

"Why'd you jump down my throat," I ask going on the offensive.

He looks away, "No reason..."

I study his face, his mandibles twitch. "Ok," I finally say, "what movies you got."

We spend the rest of the evening searching through his movies. I find a file labeled 'Human Courtship rituals.' "Garrus," I get his attention, "are you trying to tell me something." I hold out my omni tool that had a vid directory on it. If turians can blush Garrus sure did, he runs over and shuts my omni tool off.

"That's nothing . . . " he answers, he went from frantic to depressed in two seconds flat. Shepard, I realize, that's why he was studying the vids. I sigh, I wish I could tell everyone that she was gonna come back, but I can't screw around with the future... any more than I already have.

"So I'll take the floor," I volunteer, to change the subject.

"Tali you can have the bed," Garrus says turning to her.

"Where will you sleep then," she asks Garrus.

"The couch."

"No, this is your apartment," she argues, "I'll just sleep out here with Will."

He looks from me, with my big smile, to Tali. "I don't know."

"Yeah cause we'd do something," I say, not possible Tali could die, and I'm not that bold.

I believe I can see Tali blush through her visor, probably just my imagination. "Maybe I will take the bed," she says.

"Your one smooth talker," Garrus says after Tali disappears into the room.

You don't end up being much of a Romeo yourself, "Thanks."

"Guess that means I get the couch," Garrus says.

Me, I find a corner to lean against. I begin looking through the extranet. So... much... po-information...

Everything's quiet, Garrus is sleeping. Tali is in another room, there are no lights in here it's pitch black except for the glow of my omni tool. I reflect on everything, and the biggest thought in my head next to 'where is Liana' is 'how did I get here.' Well not 'here' here, how'd I get in the ME universe. I think on it. Yeah, with no evidence I could think of everything from, 'god loves me' to 'I fell asleep on a dimensional rift that deposited me in a life pod in space.' Guess I'll just try and play my part. I can't sleep, too many thoughts going through my head.

"I need air," I say to no one and head for the door. It opens I stare out into the Citadel, a wonderful day to lose myself for a while. I step out.

I walk for hours wandering not really paying attention where I was going, I don't know when it started, a feeling something began to pull me. Not like a rope yanking me around, but I'd see places and get an urge to go there, and having nothing better to do . . . I did. Soon enough things, were still unfamiliar. I had ended up in a damaged section of the wards though, which is a horrific thing to see crushed buildings, blackened walls, and a sense of loss. I don't know why but I keep walking through this . . . I can't even think of a word to describe it. I begin climbing up the rubble of a building, and I see the debris of what used to be a rather large space ship. "What have we here," I say to myself. Ok, I know it's not the best idea to go poking through a crashed ship. But I've gotten a lot braver since arriving here, I guess saving the galaxy didn't hurt my confidence either.

Surprisingly this ship seems to be in pretty good condition, I find an intact hatch, I use a piece of metal lying on the ground to pry it open. "What's behind door number one," I grunt as the door gives way. I enter and get a strange familiar feeling. "I've been here before," I say to myself. I begin walking down the halls, something inside me is guiding the direction I go. The metal bar I still had in my hand clatters to the floor when I reach a room.

It was large and empty, blank walls, an incredibly large window that showed the destroyed area of the Citadel outside framing it, and a single chair in the center of the room.

"Welcome back," a familiar voice says.

My heart drops like a stone, all that courage and confidence is washed away. I'm 17 again, I'm weak and I can't stand up to anyone. "You remember me," the voice continues.

Thousands of thoughts flow through my head, most of which being there's no way, not here. No.

"It's been a while since we talked," the voice points out. I feel dread, I've faced charging krogan, armies of geth, and a timeless dreadnaught, yet this voice sapped everything.

"You're surprised," it adds, "you were hoping maybe..."

"That you were dead," I whisper.

"You may sit," it answers. I plop down in the chair the same one I had sat in when I began my journey. Things have gone full circle, the electronically disguised voice, the hologram that was having problems forming. It was the Owner, he was alive, and for some reason I was afraid.

"Good to hear from you again," I fight to regain my composure.

"I told you, you suck at lying," the voice responds. "It seems that little homing beacon did its job."

"Homing beacon," I ask.

"You felt something pulling you here right," the owner states, "some feeling that gnawed at you, to the point where you wandered and eventually ended up here, in this room."

"Yes," I answer plainly.

"You seem awfully solemn for the joyous realization that I'm alive."

"Sorry, yaaay," I say half heartedly.

"At least you made an attempt."

"What do you want," I ask bluntly trying to take control of the conversation.

"Peace in the galaxy, a new ship, but I'd settle for my agents Graybox."

"Graybox," I ask confused, something in the Kasumi DLC, crap. I just remembered the graybox...

"Holds all of your memories," he finishes my internal thought.

"No," I say mustering the courage I had in me.

"I gave you my warning shot on the way to Omega."

Warning shot? A realization hits me, "Those pirates."

"Were under my employ."

"You nearly kill me and you call that a warning," I say pulling in anger and using it to fight the dread. I think of Wrex hospitalized, Garrus limping out of the ship, and Tali who was put at risk. It works.

"They were . . . overzealous I'll admit."

"You nearly kill me and my friends," I begin, "and you call it overzealous." I nearly shout out that last part.

"Interesting," the owner starts talking ignoring my outburst, "natural anger, overrode dread." He says this like he's writing it down.

"Are you monitoring me," I ask still trying to keep my anger up.

"The chair," it explains, "monitors all the mods in your body, and feeds me the information."

I stand up abruptly, "Then I think I'll stand."

A electronic sigh comes through the speakers, "You wont be returning then."

"Of my own free will," I answer, "never."

"Oh well," the Owner answers. "I'll settle for your quarian friend."

"You'll go nowhere near her," I shout.

"I'm free to do what I wish," the Owner laughs, "same as you, but I'll show you the consequences for your actions soon enough." The link terminates and I black out. I wake up holding my head. Thoughts rush to me the Owner was alive, I had taken his death for granted, hoped he'd at least be weakened enough to leave me alone. Guess not. I feel my confidence begin to return, why'd it desert me when I needed it most.

I have to get Tali on her way back to the flotilla, and Garrus on his way. Me, I don't know what I can do to save myself. A thought occurs to me frantic as I was in this situation, "I'll save that for later." It was the beginning of a plan at least. Get Tali's mission first, I know I promised Garrus we'd deal with Saleon but I'm more worried about her than him. He's hardcore enough to survive in the open world hunted by an evil... thing, she isn't.

I work my way back out of the ship. Another thought occurs to me as I step off, "Guess you do have someone to hunt Liana." I fight my way back through the mental tangle until I'm standing outside Garrus' apartment.

The door opens and I walk in, I see Garrus and Tali talking to each other, "... could be anywhere..." they both turn to me.

"What's going on," I ask confused.

"Will," Tali says walking over she hugs me which is nice but slaps me which is not as nice. "Where have you been?"

"I went for a short walk," I say holding my cheek where she hit me.

"Short walk you've been gone for two days," Tali says. My stomach grumbles.

"How," I think back I couldn't have been gone for more than a few hours at most. Wait how long had I blacked out.

"We were worried," Tali says.

"Why slap me," I ask, "isn't nice I'm alive."

"You walked in like nothing happened," she answers, "it bugged me."

"Slapping me made you feel better," I ask, kind of surprised.

"Surprisingly yes," she answers slowly.

I sigh and look to Garrus, "So were you worried too," I ask him.

"I figured if you could survive a few hours on Omega without getting shot, you could survive the Citadel," he answers, "you don't look any worse for wear.

"My biggest problem is . . . " I pause dramatically, my stomach growls, "I'm hungry." I see Tali and Garrus face palm.

"Let's go find something to eat then," Garrus suggests, "I know this little place where they serve dishes native to your home planet." My first thought I have to admit, is cheese burger. That is something I haven't had in months. You never realize how much you miss fast food places until you spend all your time on a space ship where, they try, but it doesn't have the same taste. It felt more like highschool cafeteria food, not that I don't like it, but breakfast, lunch, and dinner it gets a little old. I glance over at Tali, she seems a little down.

Crap, Garrus said 'home planet' the quarians haven't seen... I think the quarian homeworld is Rannoch, since the geth drove them from it. "Sounds good to me," I say to Garrus. I don't know what to say to Tali, I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah..." Tali says quietly.

Garrus realizes what he said, "Sorry Tali," he apologizes.

"It's fine," she says and leads the way out of his apartment. I keep behind her and we eventually find our way to what looks suspiciously like a sci-fi mall food court. I hear food sizzling and smell things from incredibly foul smelling to sweet aromas. Various food stands line the walls, lettering varying greatly. Some English others . . . not so much. My HUD auto translates most of the writing for me. Garrus leads us past various food stands. Every kind of animal you can imagine, from any planet in the galaxy. Garrus finally stops at a shop that had multiple species working at it.

"What can I get you sir," an asari behind the counter asks Garrus.

"The Palaven special," Garrus answers.

I search a board with various foods and prices. I see it the holy grail, "Cheeseburger," I say, "and french fries." "With a..." oh my god they have Coke Cola, it's a hundred and eighty stinkin years in the future and they have Coke Cola, "Coke."

"Just nutrient past," Tali says. Crap here we are ordering all this stuff and all Tali can have is some weird paste.

I look at the board, there's almost nothing for quarians up there. I start to object, "Why is..." Tali puts her hand on my shoulder.

"It's nothing to get worked up about," she says guessing my feelings.

"We should find someplace where you can get something you like," I say turning to her. "I'll pay," I say, "money is no object while your with me . . . as long as you keep it under eighty million."

"I said it's fine," Tali says. I sigh she doesn't want us to go to any trouble for her, another of her qualities I admire, she's selfless.

"I'm gonna be selfish for you," I say to Tali, she cocks her head to one side quizzically. "Cancel the nutrient crap," I say to the asari. Our food arrives almost instantly, I pay for it all.

"What are you doing Will," Tali asks as we start looking through stands.

"We are going to find you the best food we can," I say searching through the various stands. I finally find one that has what I call, 'fancy food,' for quarians.

"One of everything that a quarian can eat," I say to the turian minding the store.

"Will what are you doing," Tali says coming up beside me.

"I don't know what you like so I'm getting everything," I answer.

She notices the bill, it's over a hundred credits. "That's..."

"My money to spend," I say looking at her. I look at the finished order. The food kind of looked like tooth paste tubes. It all fits in a single bag made of a material I cannot identify.

"Will," Garrus says walking up with a to go bag from the stand I got my burger from. Just thinking cheese burger distracts me. I pay for all the food and we head to a table. I set the bags by Tali.

"Find something you like," I say to her, "please." Ok a thought occurs to me, I'm letting the money go to my head and I'm trying to buy affection.

She realizes I won't take no for an answer, "Ok," she says quietly. She begins going through the tubes.

Now, I'm searching through the bags I find it . . . the cheeseburger made on a space station in the Mass Effect universe. That made it sound a lot cooler than it looked. It was your average cheese burger, buns, meat, cheese, and pickles. Something seemed a little off about the meat though, eh guess it's nothing. I take a bite, rather than be rewarded with the taste of beef, I taste... varren. I start feeling sick, "Cheese burgers are made out of varren," I ask, holding back vomit.

"Varren are more accessible than cows out here, it's sort of a beef substitute," Garrus explains. Yeah, not it's not. I run off, I can't make it to a bathroom and I throw up in a trash can. Varren meat really doesn't like me at all. The last time I had varren was... when I was with Liana in the restaurant. The thought flits through my head and is replaced with a more recent loss.

"No my cheeseburger," I say sadly. I hang my head and walk back. At least the french fries will be made out of potatoes . . . I hope. After the varren meat incident nothing really happens we finish eating, I stand and turn to Tali. "Anything you like," I ask.

"This tastes good," Tali says holding up one of the toothpaste-food-tube-things.

I look at it, the flavor is some sort of synthetic dextro chocolate. "It's chocolate," I say to her.

"Yes," she answers.

"You know that's my favorite flavor too," I say to her, "of course mine is levo chocolate." I buy that and several healthy foods from the turian behind the register.

"Come again, sir," the turian says as I pick up the bags. I carry all the bags Garrus had finished his 'Palaven Special' so all I had to carry was the two bags of quarian food. We run back to Garrus apartment real fast and deposit the food in the storage fridge thing. Garrus home communicator sends out a weird tone, Garrus answers it from his omni tool.

"Will," he says turning to me, "it's for you."

It's not the Owner he wouldn't call me on a public line . . . would he? I answer with my omni tool, "Will Doe," I say into it. I'm holding my omni tool to my ear like a phone.

"Will this it's Ashley Williams," I hear Ash say through the omni tool, "I need to talk to you."

"About," I ask my attention grabbed.

"Meet me at the human embassy," she says ignoring my question, "alone." I glance over at Tali and Garrus.

"Are you in trouble," I ask quietly.

"No . . . no just meet me at the human embassy in an hour," she hangs up.

"What did Chief Williams want," Garrus asks.

"She wants to meet me at the human embassy," I answer confused.

* * *

**A/N: The end of Ch. 6, old enemies and old friends, now I just need a new enemy... Sorry about lack of action, I'm (awkwardly) trying to expand the relationships between Will, Tali, and Garrus.  
**

** PS: Thanks to TuckingFypo for reviewing!**

**PPS: I've been musing on rewriting 2183 (My first story), give me your opinion or suggestions... It would happen after I finished this story, unless people would want me to complete the ME2 one after this first, yes I plan a sequel already, I think I may have begun rambling... On to life!  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**"Up-date up-date, What's taking this idiot so long to update..." I say to myself, "wait a minute..."**

**I apologize again for the very irregular update times and in some cases long waits between chapters, and it's good to know someone cares.**

* * *

**Ch. 7**

"**I know Saren. I know his reputation, his politics. He believes humans are a blight on the galaxy. This attack was an act of war."**

**Councillor David Anderson**

I was late, it wasn't my fault these two stupid hanar were waiting at a door insisting that the other go through first. And me being the polite person I was, I waited, twenty minutes until they entered at the same time. It was nice seeing Ash again though.

"Will," Ashley says. She seems worried about something.

"Good to see you Ash," I greet, I step forward and hold my arms out wide, "you look like you need a hug."

She smirks, "I'll be all right."

"Alright then your loss," I say with a grin, I put my arms down. "So why'd you need to see me?"

"We need your help," she says to me.

"What with- wait we," I ask noticing she said 'we.'

"Yes Doe," I hear a man's voice say.

"Councillor," I say turning to Anderson. I smile and shake his hand, "Good to see you."

"Likewise," he says.

"Ok, so what does the Councillor of humanity want with me," I ask.

"Your services," he answers.

Right, for all Anderson knows, I'm a mercenary. "Why call me through the Chief," I ask gesturing in her direction.

"If I had called you it would've drawn attention," he answers.

"And if you had Udina call me I would've never come."

"That too," he says, cracking a small smile.

"You know we are still fighting battles with the geth," he says getting down to business.

"Not really," I answer, "I don't really watch the news that much." "You know what they say, 'no news is good news."

"We don't say that much anymore," Anderson replies, "no news generally means you're dead."

"Ok . . . So war with the geth."

"We've, been winning major victories . . . but it's a long process," he explains, "many believe the fighting will not stop for several years."

"I take it you calling me here has something to do with that," I reply.

"I think the geth have a base on the Citadel," Anderson drops his bombshell.

"You think," I ask.

"The geth have been attacking all over the Citadel," he explains, "we've managed to contain each incident but there are too many to just be survivors from Saren's invasion." "I believe the geth may have a manufacturing plant on the Citadel."

"How could they," I ask, "someone would notice the geth building factory."

"I believe they may have re-purposed one of the factories in the Wards to make geth troopers."

"So they hijacked a factory and no one knows about it," I ask.

"It could have been abandoned or maybe Saren had it set up from before he attacked, either way, there are geth attacking far too often, in too great a number," he sighs.

"It couldn't be a coincidence," I ask. I have a lot of stressed built up, "not everything is a part of Saren's plan." Saren was a douche, I'll be the first to say it . . . but in the end, in a warped logic sort of way he was trying to protect people, I mean really warped logic. I don't feel sorry for him but in the end he did the right thing, and no one but me, Tali and Shepard, know his regret at the end.

"The other Councilors refuse to believe me on this," he continues, "they want more than a 'gut feeling' before they send in a team."

I get the full reason why he called me through Ash, "So you'll send in a team off the grid," I ask, "us."

"Only if you're willing," he answers, "I already have a list of possible areas they might have set up."

"Yes definitely yes," I answer with a smile, "things were starting to get boring," I lie. Truth be told, a military mission, as strange as it sounds, might be safest place for us. Until, I can either, counter-move the Owner, which is way beyond my abilities, or get everyone out of harms way. "So can I call the rest of the team in now," I ask Anderson.

He smiles, "Good to have you on-board," he says seemingly relieved, "you can call Tali, and Garrus and get them up here."

"I know," I reply, activating my omni tool. I find Garrus in the directory, which is way more efficient than a phone book or operator, and call him. I hear the line pickup, "Garrus it's Will."

"Will," Garrus responds. "Are you all right," he asks a little worried.

"What's wrong," I ask him noting his tone of voice.

"Someone just tried to break in," he answers, "didn't count on us waiting up though."

Already, damn it the Owner works fast. "I'm on my way," I say quickly. "I have to get back," I say to Anderson after I cut the line.

"What's wrong," Anderson asks noting the worry etched all over my face no doubt.

"Someone just tried to break into Garrus' apartment," I answer him as I head toward the elevators that lead to the Wards.

"I'll send C-sec," Anderson replies heading into his office.

Ashley comes up besides me, "I'm going with you," she says firmly.

"It's not like I'm headed into a battle field," I say.

"You look too worried to believe this was an isolated incident," she replies reading me like a book.

"Alright let's get going," I say as the elevator opens. Ash is more observent than I would have thought to read my mind like that.

A couple of minutes later I'm ringing Garrus' doorbell. I figure seeing as someone just tried to break in, it would be safest to ring before entering.

"Who is it," I hear Garrus ask gruffly.

"It's Will," I answer, "let me in."

"Go in front of the peep hole," he says. I move to comply and stand in clear view of the camera that served as a 'peep hole' in the door. "All right," Garrus says, "sorry about that but I didn't know if he'd come back."

"You got a look at him," I ask.

"Krogan, big krogan," Tali says. Why is it always krogan? My mods make me faster, and stronger than any human alive. Krogan though are already stronger than humans usually negating my advantage, though I usually bypass that advantage by kicking them in the crotch. Hey, when someone outweighs you by several hundred pounds you take all the advantages you can get.

"Anything beyond, big krogan," I ask wanting to get a better idea of my enemy.

"He's well over eight feet tall, maybe even nine, if I was to guess weight, I'd say around a thousand pounds," Garrus says, of course being a police officer he'd be able to at least get height and weight at a glance. "Beyond that we didn't get too good a look at him."

"He ran off," I ask. Something that big doesn't sound like it'd scare easy.

"No, I'd guess it was more like he realized whatever he was looking for wasn't here," Garrus answers after a moment consideration.

Yeah I wasn't here, that may have saved our lives from what I hear of this giant krogan. "Yeah," I answer looking down.

"We're all right," Garrus says misunderstanding the feelings of guilt I have.

"All right let's put this behind us," I say wanting to change the subject. "Ash, is here a good place to tell them," I ask, gesturing to Garrus' apartment.

"Tell us what," Garrus asks.

"I guess," Ashley answers.

"All right," I say, "everybody in." We spend the next hour explaining everything, Ashley actually added more details than I was told near the end of it I could sense a bit of apprehension from Garrus. I realize it's about the Saleon thing, I did promise we'd take care of it.

"Ash, can you negotiate our payment," I ask.

"What do you want," she answer/asks.

"I want a ship to take us to this ship," I say holding my omni tool up with the transponder codes.

"I'll check with Anderson, but it seems doable," she answers, I wink at Garrus.

"I told you I never go back on my promises," I say to Garrus explaining the gesture.

"Thanks Will," he replies.

"And one last thing," I say turning to Ashley, "I get a copy of every piece of data we get from this." "Everything," I say with finality.

"Again, I'll have to check with Anderson."

"I'll take that as a yes," I say smiling. Things are clicking together rather nicely, I do this mission get some geth data from whatever warehouse, factory or whatever their using as a base for Tali to use for her pilgrimage gift. Then get a ride from the Alliance to Saleon's ship and get Garrus back on track. And then... I don't know, I guess I could try and join Cerberus but really I'd rather keep my distance as long as possible from them... I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

C-sec arrived a short while later, asked some questions, then said they'd 'look out for someone matching that description.' What description, all they got was, he was a big krogan. That just about describes the entire species. I'm guessing they won't find him, he'll find us. Again I'll shoot that bridge when I come to it.

After C-sec left Ashley gave us Anderson's suspected locations, "There are only four possible locations, based on locations of attack, squad size and needed materials," she briefs us. "We'll have to check each of them out," she adds.

"So reconnaissance," I ask using a term I learned from playing enough army games.

"Basically yes," she answers, "we should split up and work in pairs."

"I'm with Tali," I say quickly.

"We need you to be focused," Ashley says.

"I called it," I say impertinently.

"You're with Garrus," she orders leaving no room to argue, "that way we're all focused."

"Look how happy I am," I say with a frown.

"It's logic," Garrus adds.

"How," I ask a little peeved.

"Chief Williams doesn't have any technical skills," he explains, "so Tali being the best tech is the best to send with her." "While each of us," he gestures to himself and I, "has a fair amount of knowledge."

"I have no knowledge of tech," I say to him, "I just use a hack program Tali gave me."

"That makes you more tech savvy than me," Ash cuts in.

"Ok then to settle this argument," I say, "who's in charge."

"I am," Ashley says immediately, "as an agent of your employer."

"Damn it," I say, I was hoping to be leader.

"Sorry but you're stuck with me on this," Garrus says a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Hey, it's nothing to do with you," I say responding to his tone. "But why is it guys vs girls," I ask.

"This way we stay more focused," Ashley explains.

"Or you're a xenophillic lesbian," I mutter dejectedly.

"What'd you say," Ash asks catching a little bit of my mutter.

"I said . . . ," I pause thinking up a dozen different lies. "It's an honor to serve the Alliance ma'am," I salute.

"Right," Ashley says with a smirk.

"Ok now to change the subject so Ashley doesn't shoot me," I say out loud, "any suggestions?"

"When do we start," Garrus asks.

"As soon as you're ready," Ashley answers. A plan runs through my head.

"No time like the present," I say fast, grinning. I grab Tali and take off, "Let's go," I order.

"Hey I said . . . " I hear Ashley sigh, I look back and she's rolling her eyes. I smile.

"I will not be denied," I shout back, as me and Tali take off towards one of the factories. Hey, I know grabbing someone and running isn't much of a plan but hey, it worked didn't it? Now on to the first factory.

* * *

**A/N: I again apologize... I went touristing (probably not a word), in the big apple, the city that never sleeps, that place a homeless guy asked me for a dollar at. That's right New York City! And the fact I'm working from my own plot slows things down. Once I get into Odyssey 2185, expect things to speed up... hopefully. NYC in a nutshell, F***n huge.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: No near two week waits for this, for now I fear the chant... lol.**

* * *

**Ch. 8**

"**Rage is a hell of an anesthetic"**

**Zaeed Massani**

The first factory was a bust, turns out it was being used by some Blue Suns mercs, and they do not like trespassers. I'm ducked behind a crate next to Tali, "I hate the Blue Suns," I say to her. Bullets tear into the other side of the crate.

"They seem to return those feelings," she says while loading her shotgun. I check my pistol, plenty of shots left.

"I'll draw their attention," I begin my plan, "you shoot at them." "Clever I know," I say grinning.

"We could just run for the door," Tali suggests gesturing to the open doorway that was less than fifteen feet away, "we don't have to fight them."

Oh . . . "That could work," I say slowly, my face showing I never thought of that. Why, is it my first response is fight, it's not that I'm not afraid, it's just I don't think of that option . . . like some thing's blocking it. "You make the plans from now on," I suggest.

"All right," she agrees, "we move on three."

"Do you mean one, two, three, then go," I ask, "or one, two, three go."

"When I say three run towards the door," she says slowly.

"Ok."

"One," she counts, "two." An explosion throws our cover through the air.

"Three," I shout, "go, go, go." I grab her and run for the door as shots begin bouncing off my shields. We pass through the doorway I spin around and slap the door control, it shuts as an explosion rocks the other side. "What company makes this door," I ask looking for a logo. "I'd invest in it."

"Will," Tali says, her arms crossed, and I swear she's tapping her foot. I can't check must keep eyes on face, visor thing.

"Yes," I ask, "ok I know I'm getting off topic."

"Let's go to the next location," she orders, she's standing a little straighter, being a little firmer. I think she might like being in charge a bit.

"Ma'am yes ma'am," I salute. Another explosion hits the door, I jump away, "This may not be the place to do this."

I hear Tali laugh, "Let's go already."

We head out and head off towards the next warehouse on our list, a bajillion hallways later, I spot a familiar face. "Oh my god," I say slowly.

"What is it," Tali asks.

The face I saw, had a scar running down it, looked old, and weathered, his eyes were different colors, one white and one greenish. The person it belonged to, was in yellow armor, looked like he'd been in his share of battles, he had an assault rifle poking over his shoulder, and a tattoo on his neck a Blue Suns insignia. To those who haven't guessed yet or don't have any DLC, it's Zaeed Massani, one of the most badass (best word to describe him) bounty hunters in the ME universe, co founder of the Blue Suns, and according to the website at least, he was only forty, he hasn't aged gracefully. One of the things I noticed the most was people arguing about his age being wrong, how according to the dates, he would have had to have started the Suns at the age of fifteen.

He notices me staring, and I swear I see a slight imperceptible look of recognition flash across his features for a moment.

Tali elbows me in the ribs, I make no move saying I noticed. She waves her hand in front of my face, "Fleet to Will, fleet to Will," Tali says, she gets my attention, "what's so special about that old man."

"He's Zaeed Massani, one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy," I answer. I get a bad feeling, which is weird seeing another of the ME2 team should be a euphoric moment, but I get nothing but bad vibes from him. A thought in the back of my head says, 'he's a bounty hunter you idiot, any reason someone with tons of money would want to hurt you.' Oh crap.

He starts working his way down the hall towards us, he's walking with a purpose, and almost everyone moves out of the way.

"Run," I say to Tali my heart hammering in my chest, my fight or flight response is kicking in, I was mainly thinking of running. My hands feel cold.

"What," Tali asks noting the worry in my voice.

"Run damn it," I say as I grab her arm and run back down the hall.

I hear Zaeed curse, I look back and he's taking up the chase. "Why are we running," Tali asks.

I think on the fly, "Because he's chasing us." We speed down the hall, eventually I start getting lost. Tali though realizing I wasn't going to stop running began steering. Her super powerful internal compass kept us from hitting any dead ends.

Zaeed the bloodhound though kept on our tail, we'd slow down and think we lost him just to see him come running around the corner. I actually nearly said a cuss word, besides ass, and that's when you know things are getting bad. I wasn't tiring, but Tali seemed to be slowing a bit, and marathon man Zaeed stayed right with us, regular controlled breathing. It was like running from a terminator, with no Arnold Schwarzenegger watching your ass. I know he was the bad guy in the first mo... Is this really what I should be thinking about while I'm being chased.

"Just give it up kid," I hear Zaeed say.

"Kiss my ass old man," I answer, not the smartest thing to do. I look back, yep he's pissed. Whoa, I must be afraid look at my language, given some of it's in my head.

"Goddamn kids," I hear him reply.

"Run faster," I say to a tiring Tali.

"Not... enough... breath... to..."

"Sorry," I grab her and carry her bridal style. I slow down a bit but not much.

"Thank you," she says as her breathing slows down to normal levels. "Left here," she orders. I comply and turn.

I decide to joke, "No back seat drivers," I grin despite the circumstances.

"All right get lost on your own then," she answers.

And get lost I did, I have no idea where I am on the Citadel, but I think I've passed that homeless guy five times. I started to lose the urgency and fear that had been building.

"We're lost aren't we," Tali asks.

Man that I am I answer, "We're not lost.

"Maybe we should stop and ask for directions," Tali suggests.

Still running away from a bounty hunter, "We don't need directions," I argue.

"Just ask that homeless person we keep passing," she remarks sarcasm in her voice.

"They could be quintuplets," I argue.

"Will," Tali says.

"Alright I know I'm getting off topic again," I reply.

"Right," she orders when we come to another T-turn in the hall.

I comply, "I thought you were lost," I ask.

"I at least have a better sense of direction than you do," she replies.

I can't believe I'm having an argument while running for my life being chased by a bounty hunter, who will be my ally in about a year. Man my life is weird now. "All right then point the way."

"Right again," Tali orders. "I wonder why he's not shooting at us," Tali adds.

"I dunno populated area, maybe I need to be taken alive, or maybe he's just enjoying the exercise," I answer. I look back over my shoulder, Zaeed looks like he's getting tired.

"Left," Tali directs.

I turn, "Dead end," I say to Tali.

"One out of nine hundred isn't so bad."

"Looks like your out of bloody road," Zaeed says at my back.

I put Tali down and turn to him. "You're outnumbered," I warn.

"I've always been outnumbered," he answers.

I look around for a weapon, the dead-end is empty, there's nothing I could use to fight against Zaeed, and I definitely didn't want this turning into a shootout, we could end up killing each other. At least in a fight there's less chance of that. I look over Tali had pulled a knife out, that's right she had it strapped to her boot. "Trust me," Zaeed says with a cold calm, "you don't want to fight me."

"What do you want," I ask.

"You," he points to me, "failing that my job is to kill the girl," he gestures at Tali.

I reflexively step in front of Tali. "Who hired you," I ask.

"Doesn't matter," he says stepping forward. Crap I have to get into a fist fight, while I'm strong enough to kick the crap out of your average Joe, trained fighters give me a lot of trouble. He drops into some kind of stance. My one advantage is, his job is capture don't kill. I take a boxing stance, hey it's the only thing I could think of. I move forward and throw out a jab, He read it and it didn't even come close to hitting. I start throwing out punches, fast ones, they would do a ton of damage, if only Zaeed would stop dodging and blocking. I start to feel tired, I've got to make an opening. So I do the one thing that can possibly level the playing field between a skilled fighter and an untrained strongman. I bum rush him, I'm guessing he didn't expect that, I pick him up and shove him back into the wall.

"Move it," I order Tali. Zaeed brings both hands up and smashes me on both sides of my head. Ouch, I do the one thing I can think of, I shoot my head forward, Zaeed dodges. I leave a dent in the wall, "Ouch," I say out-loud. I toss Zaeed aside and stumble off trying to clear my head. I look up and Tali had pulled her shotgun. I grab her and we take off again, I shake my head a couple of times trying to clear my head. I hear footsteps behind us, its Zaeed again.

"He doesn't give up easily," Tali comments.

"Dude," I shout back, "take a freakin break, I've got a headache and you're not helping."

No response he just keeps after us like a freakin robot.

We're hopelessly lost in a suspiciously empty area of the Citadel. I activate my omni tool, "How may I help you," a voice asks.

"I need C-sec," I say into it, I don't know why I didn't think of this an hour ago.

"One moment," I hear the operator say.

"Yeah cause I've got time," I remark sarcastically.

"What is the nature of your emergency," a woman asks.

"I'm currently running away from a crazy man," I answer.

"Officers are on their way," she finishes, the line cuts out.

The footsteps that had been following us dissipate, I look back Zaeed's gone. Oh thank God. Guess he didn't want a confrontation with C-sec. A short while later a trio of C-sec officers come running down the hall, two turians and a asari. How small is this galaxy seriously, it was the same guys who checked out our ship when we landed here. There are far too many coincidences going on. Might as well be friendly, "Nice to see you guys again," I greet them.

"Yeah," one of the turians answers, they're way too tense. They glance between each other, "It's good to see you're safe."

"Thanks," I answer, "we'll just head out."

"Do you need an escort," the other turian asks.

"Ye-," Tali begins to answer.

"We'll be alright," I cut her off. She looks at me quizzically. Ok I might be a little paranoid, but what are the chances of us meeting the same C-sec officers in two completely different places. I'll err on the side of paranoia in this case.

"Very well, sir," the first turian replies. We head down the hall they came from. I hear footsteps, I look over my shoulder covertly. I see all three C-sec following us.

"What's going on," Tali asks.

"Uh, would you believe I used to work for a galactic man of mystery, who kidnaped me upgraded my body and sent me on a mission to follow Shepard around the galaxy," I say in one breath, "and I have officially quit after an argument and now he's put a bounty on my head and I suspect that he has members of the government in his pocket." That may be a lot for her to take in at one time.

"...What," she asks.

"What parts confused you," I ask glancing over my shoulder again, yep they're still following us.

"All of it," she answers.

"I'll explain better later," I add, "right now we should get going." I didn't run, it wouldn't look good if someone saw us running from C-sec.

"Where to," she asks.

"The next factory," I answer. I turn back, "Hey if you're gonna follow us anyway you might as well be up here."

They all look surprised, "All right," the asari says boldly walking towards us. The two turians take her lead and soon we're all walking close together. I know what you're thinking, if you suspect them of working for the Owner 'why bring them in so close.' The old saying keep your friends close and enemies closer, besides this way they can't shoot us in the back.

We walked together for a while, all of us covertly glancing at each other until we came to a four-way . . . Laugh . . . turn in the hall. They went right, "Hey," I say to get their attention, "which way to this factory," I ask. I show the name on my omni tool.

"I don't know but you can get to a transit station by going straight down the hall, you can't miss it," the turian answers.

"Thanks." We head straight in the direction he pointed out. Maybe I was just being paranoid, about them working for the Owner.

"So, repeat what you said earlier, just slow it down," Tali orders.

"I'll tell you everything," I answer, well almost everything, still gonna keep alternate dimension/time line, whatever, to myself. "I was kidnaped," I begin, it's sort of true. "The Owner," I continue, "modified my body," I gesture to all of me. "He's the one that turned me into this."

"Why did you lie in the beginning," she asks sounding a little hurt, "did you not..."

"I trust you with my life," I cut her off, "I was ordered not to."

"And you always follow orders," she asks.

"I go through loopholes," I answer, "but I didn't want to put you at risk."

"But you're ok with doing that now," she asks crossing her arms.

"It doesn't matter anymore," I answer with a sigh. "You're already a target," I tell her.

"Why," she asks.

"I quit," I answer, "I cut my ties with him."

"So he's going after your friends," she asks.

"Those who are most important to me," I explain. I look away, I blush slightly.

"So is Garrus in trouble too," she asks oblivious.

"I don't know," I answer truthfully, "maybe."

"Should we check on him," she asks.

"He's with Ashley," I answer, "they can handle themselves in combat better than we can." "We might need them to protect us," I try a lighthearted joke.

We reach the rapid transit station, I select the warehouse in the directory. "Why didn't we do this in the first place," Tali asks.

"I don't know," I answer, "it didn't occur to me."

We get in the cab, I feel tired. I lean back, and close my eyes. I feel us start to move, we rise and take off. I'm too tired to think of any paranoid things at the moment. It's a part physical part mental tired, I'm looking at everyone and wondering if they're gonna sprint at me and try and capture me. Being paranoid is tiring.

I don't drift off to sleep, I just sit there with my eyes closed. It's peaceful in here. I massage my temples, that smash Zaeed did to the sides of my head still hurts. I sigh, "I'm sorry," I apologize.

I don't open my eyes, I put my hands down. I feel Tali's hand on mine. Accidentally or on purpose I can't tell. I feel calmed, more at peace than I've been. Then it was gone. "We're here," Tali explains.

Oh well, on to life.

"All right," I say getting up, I scan my chit through to pay. I would make some kind of joke, but I think I've reached my limit for today... Great now I have to act mature and sane.

"Let's move," Tali says as we head towards the entrance. Of course there are no geth guards outside, it looks like LOKI mechs, you know the battle droid wanna-bes. We slip by them, thanks to Tali's hacking abilities. When we enter the building, my jaw drops, factories were producing geth yes, but in surprisingly small numbers, mainly LOKI and FENRIS mechs.

It hits me, "That's why no one noticed," I say to Tali. "This plant never stopped exporting, and it looks like it's all automated."

"And the only biological element would be the foreman," Tali finishes.

"If he was bought by Saren or the geth it would give them a base to do what they wanted."

I pull out my omni tool, you know the cool thing about omni tools is they do everything. Think of all the features in a cell phone then add six hundred more, it can be a computer, game system, phone (well sort of), and a camera. Of course I'm not gonna go into everything it would take too long and I need my brain space. I activate my omni tool, Anderson just wanted us to find it, we'll leave destroying it to the army, marines, whatever. I snap a bunch of incriminating "photos" and head for the door.

"Will," Tali whispers as I open the door. I believe Tali's hack may have timed out. I leap back as bullets tear through the space I had occupied a moment before, the LOKI mechs are moving in.

"I think we may have a problem," I say to Tali. She starts working on her omni tool. I take potshots around the corner with my recently drawn pistol.

"Engaging hostiles," the LOKI mechs chorus as they continue firing. I wait and one walks through the door, I shoot its head off.

"Tali," I say urgently as another one walks through. It was a steady stream, I keep shooting changing to chest shots.

"Got it," Tali exclaims. The LOKI mechs stop firing at me and begin filing into the factory.

"What are they going to do," I ask.

"Move to locations where they can make secondary explosions," she explains. I sit there for a moment and let that sink in. I hear an explosion followed by several others. The factory shakes.

"Should we get out before they go nuclear," I ask worried.

"Too late," Tali screams. I leap over to her and put my back to the location the explosion is going to come from, I wrap my cloak around us. I feel heat on my back. Come on you stupid suit, prove your worth. I start sweating, come on hold on for a short while longer. I feel the heat dissipate.

"That was close," I say to Tali, guess I have something to be grateful to the Owner for. I hear a groaning as the ceiling falls towards us. I jump up and brace myself. I catch the portion of the ceiling that fell, I go down to my knees. Come on you stupid mods hold on. I look forward and see Tali staring at me, I feel a renewed adrenaline rush.

"Will," Tali shouts.

I roar as I manage to shift the slab of roof to the side. My arms fall limply to my sides, I collapse... headfirst into Tali's lap. I roll over before my strength fades away completely, I stare up at Tali, I smile weakly, "Come here often . . . "

* * *

**A/N: I checked traffic and this story has broken 1,000 views! That's a fifth of my last story, though my last story has nearly 5 times as many chapters.**

**I managed to squeeze Zaeed in, and get a few 'moments' between Will and Tali. And verify the Owner's goals (check Zaeed's lines).**

**Though my readers who payed attention are wondering something, what about Will's dream? It will be answered... as soon as I update again. So hopefully in another 3-5 days.  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm putting these chapters out a little faster than before... I guess it's because It's in the 'arc' my biggest problem is starting an arc. After I'm in it things get easier.**

* * *

**Ch. 9**

"**Do the words 'political shitstorm' mean anything to you."**

**Ambassador Donnel Udina**

We just sit there, well I lay there, until we hear voices and sirens. Despite being in a slightly burning building that had just exploded, and being burned and crushed, I don't think I've been happier. I mean my head was resting on Tali's lap, that's romantic. Right?

Of course all good things must come to an end. I hear the first door to the factory being cut through. I see a group of, I don't know, firemen, rush through, all in fully sealed suits.

A huge krogan comes over to us, "We've got survivors," he shouts to the others.

"Do we have to leave," I ask wistfully. No one hears me. I look down at my armor, most of it from the waist up had burned up, I should be in massive amounts of pain right now. I only had the chest plate remaining. I tear it off, I glance and see Tali pick it up. I feel better now, I can breathe easier.

The krogan moves to grab me, but is interrupted when a turian and a man walk up, with what I can only describe as a space stretcher, "He needs the stretcher," the turian tells the krogan. When they put me on it, it automatically floats up.

I activate my omni tool, "Councilor Anderson," I say into it. I see the krogan lead Tali away to another emergency vehicle. Why are they separating us?

"Doe," he picks up, drawing my attention back to matters at hand. Guess my omni tool is on the fast track, I didn't have to talk to a secretary.

"Found the factory," I say into it, with a cough.

"I'll send a team to secure the area," he replies. "Good work."

"Good night," I say hanging up. I finally pass into well-earned sleep.

_I'm in an empty room, well almost there's a massive krogan standing in front of me, I see a quarian lying on the ground not far from where I am. The krogan stands between me and the quarian. I go for my guns they're all gone. I look in my hands, I have a knife. I lunge forward with it._..

I wake with a start, "What the hell," I say without thinking. I don't get more 'dreams' until the first one comes true so what's going on.

'Acclimatizing,' I hear a voice whisper on the edge of my consciousness.

"Who's there," I say looking around. I don't get a reply. "You know most of the voices in my head are polite enough to carry on a conversation," I say to myself. Still nothing.

I do however notice that I'm in a hospital again. Why is it whenever I go somewhere with Tali I end up in a hospital bed. Well, it was totally worth it. I laugh to myself. That was Tali's line after the suicide mission if you romance her.

"Oly, oly oxen free," I say to the air, "anyone there."

"Sir," I see a nurse enter the room.

I get better look at the room there was some kind of curtain separating one side from the other. "What's going on," I ask.

"You were treated for minor burns, miraculous really considering the fire," I think of the Owner's upgrades and what abilities I don't even know about. It's not like I was given a manual saying, 'You've been modified, your body and you!' So now I guess I'm a little fireproof. I'm not gonna test it again though.

"Yeah," I answer, "what about my friend," I ask.

"She'll be alright," she alleviates my fears.

That issue settled, "Who's behind curtain number one," I ask.

"You're friend," she answers. I cock my head to the side quizzically.

"She was attacked by a group of faulty LOKI mechs," she continues, wait a minute my dream was me being attacked by robots. Oh God I need a manual for all this crap.

"Tali got attacked," I ask.

"No I believe it's a Ms. Williams, that was shot in the back by a LOKI mech while attempting to carry a, Mr. Garrus Vakarian, away," she answers, that's what happened in my dream, only it was me not Ashley. Oh, god I'm so confused. "Is she alright," I ask worried.

"She'll be fine," she answers, "luckily C-sec officers alerted by the gunshots arrived in time to apply medi-gel and clear out the mechs."

"What about Garrus," I ask.

"Mr. Vakarian will be fine, he was shot through the leg, luckily it missed any arteries," she answers, "he should be up and walking in a few days."

"Phew," I exclaim.

"Now you need to rest," she says.

"Understood," I lay back. Now to internal thoughts. Why did I see through her eyes in my dream. The only other time something like this happened was when Shepard got hit on Noveria. Even then it was like I was watching them through a T.V. not from inside their head.

You know how much I'm starting to love hospitals, not at all. I don't know but every time something bad happens to me I end up in a hospital, I think I might be subconsciously associating hospitals with me being hurt... is it just me or was that too smart for me?

I get a visitor, yay, but I wish I didn't. "Doe," says the most annoying voice in the galaxy, "do you know what kind of political..."

"I swear to god if you say political shitstorm, I will pull you head off and feed it to a thresher," I cut him off.

"...situation," Udina continues, "you've caused."

"I've blown up a building," I answer, "that was constructing geth, I'm expecting a medal." Normally I'd be a little more polite, but it's Udina, I hate Udina.

"Yes, we know it was a geth facility, but your orders were to scout out the building not destroy it."

"Yeah that was an accident," I lie, Tali had sent in LOKI mechs to explode and wipe out the facility, I wasn't going to tell Udina that.

"Anderson ordered me to deliver this," he hands me an OSD, sort of the futures data storage stuff, to me. "To you," he finishes. He sighs, "and to inform you that he has a ship waiting for when you recover to take you to the ship you asked about." He doesn't seem happy that I get my way... which makes it all the sweeter.

"Thank you very much, ex-ambassador Udina."

"No wonder he's after yo," he remarks snidely.

Those simple words gave me the strength to leap up and grab Udina, "What do you know," I ask slowly and in a very dangerous tone. This is about the Owner I can feel it, I may have been paranoid about the C-sec guys but there's no way this is a coincidence.

"Doe, you have five seconds to..."

"You have one to tell me what you know," I say lifting him off the ground. I feel the pains from my burns but medi gel and adrenaline really kill pain.

"Anyone with enough influence knows about him," Udina continues, "his pull is the reason few people questioned when a man with no background appeared." "You have no idea how deep the shit creek is your in."

"Up to my neck," I say lifting him higher. "More."

"Name a company, political power, he has someone in it."

"In large numbers," I ask.

"No," Udina answers, "he doesn't deal with grunts his entourage is high ranking management."

I drop him, "What about the C-sec that ran into me after the bounty hunter."

"I don't know, he has enough pull to put C-sec on watch but they won't do anything," he answers. Maybe they were sent to watch me and Zaeed didn't know, I don't know. I mean a little over a year ago all I had to worry about was tests, now I'm going rogue agent on apparently a very powerful person.

"Are you in his pocket," I ask.

"No," he answers, "not for lack of trying on his part." OK, slight respect increase for Udina.

"How do you know so much," I ask.

"I have connections," he answers.

"Get out," I order. He seems happy enough to comply. I lay back down gingerly, "That happened fast," I say to myself.

"What was that about," I hear Ash from the other side of the curtain ask.

"You're awake," I ask.

"Nope sleep talking," she answers sarcastically.

"I have a problem with a prior employer," I answer.

"He wants to hunt you down," Ash asks, "you must've been one bad employee."

"Yeah," I answer. My head, things are way to complicated, and where's Tali? Normally when I wake up in a hospital she's right there.

"Will you be all right," she asks concern in her voice.

"I'll be fine," I answer, I hope. "Where's Tali," I ask.

"I haven't seen her," Ashley answers.

Ok then, I stand back up, "I'm gonna go check on Garrus."

"Didn't the nurse say for you to rest," Ashley asks.

"I didn't hear that." I exit the room, I work my way towards the front desk. "Can I get the location of a Garrus Vakarian," I ask.

"Room 343," the salarian behind the desk answers. "Should you be..."

"Thank you," I start to work my way down the hall. 321, 322, I continue counting until I reach it. "343," I say triumphantly. The door whooshes open, "Hey Garrus," I say walking in.

"I thought you were hurt," he asks. I look around, Tali's not in here either. Where the heck did she go.

"Have you seen Tali," I ask very worried.

"It's always Tali with you, I'm in a hospital bed shot and you're worried about your girlfriend," he answers.

"We aren't together," I argue very very halfheartedly. "Have you seen her," I ask worried.

He notices the worry in my voice, "What's wrong." "Wait Will," he calls out as I head to the door.

I leave the room and head back, I find my stuff, my armors shit so . . . oh man this must be bad I just cussed again. I find a change of clothes military issue like the crew wore on the Normandy. I throw them on. Damn no weapons in here.

"Will," I hear Ash say to get my attention.

"I have to get going," I say urgently.

"What's wrong," she asks.

"No time to explain," I continue.

"Get going then," she orders. I head out. Who to call, C-sec, no... who... I know, Anderson.

"Anderson," I order my communicator.

"Doe," he answers almost immediately thank you scifi caller ID.

"I need armor and weapons," I say while running through the hospital.

"Why," he asks.

"I have a bad feeling," I answer, " a new dream." I wince as I brush against a wall, burns hurt.

"I thought you didn't get new dreams until the first came true," he asks. I dodge a gurney carrying, a wounded turian.

"It came true, it just wasn't me," I answer, "I was seeing through Ash's eyes." "Don't ask me anymore questions, armor and weapons."

"Good to see you're awake," a deep and obviously krogan voice says. I pause.

"Where's Tali," I ask.

"The quarian, safe," he answers, "for now." "Understand, I only get a third of my pay for the girl's death." "So good business is use her as bait."

"You're awfully free admitting this," I remark.

"You're going to come anyway," he deadpans. "I want more than the one third pay but I'll settle for it if I have to." "So be the good guy you are and come to save the damsel in distress, just like she said you would."

"I'm that transparent," I say outloud. "I'll find you," I say threateningly. She?

"I'll save you a search," my omni tool beeps, "here I am." Coordinates flash across my omni tool. "Be here in an hour." It cuts out.

"Doe, doe, are you there," I hear Anderson ask.

"Yes, sorry other line," I answer.

"Something I need to know," he asks.

"Sorry no," I answer, "armor and weapons."

"I can't get you any," he answers, "I'm sorry but the Council is tying my hands."

"Of course," I sigh.

"I'm sorry," he finishes the line drops.

"Shit," another indicator of how bad this is. I head for a fast travel station. I input the meeting place. I get in and sit down. "I have no chance," I say to the air. I feel the cab lift up and fly across the station. Oh, God this is gonna suck. I feel the cab slowly come to a stop. I get out, I saw something, move. I glance around, nothing, guess it's the tension.

I step through the front door. There he is, in the center of the room. Tali's tied up on a cot behind him. He has Tali's knife in his hands, he scoffs and puts it away on his belt. I get an idea something that Zaeed said, 'called him out one on one...' I can only hope this merc has some krogan pride.

"Hey ugly," I shout getting his attention. I just remembered Zaeed cheap shotted the krogan, and I don't have any guns.

He turns, "Ah you're early," he says, "I love it when I get things early." Too late to turn back now.

This is probably the dumbest thing I've every done, "I challenge you to a duel." That sounded a bit cooler in my head.

He laughs at me, "You want to fight me," he laughs harder. "Why should I," he asks.

"I understand, you're weak that's why you needed a bargaining chip to ensure your safety," I mock.

"No, I'm just clever enough to exploit a weakness," he answers a little anger in his voice.

"And cowardly enough to deny a challenge."

"Fine human," he's not laughing anymore, he's very, very pissed. Most krogan get mad after a few taunts, it's kind of pathetic really. They're reaction though would make pretty much everyone soil themselves and run away. Unfortunately, I don't have that option.

"All right," I say, my hearts hammering in my chest. Boxing stance time. His laugh returns.

"This'll be easy," he says to himself, "and for those insults I'll just kill the girl anyway."

I feel everything slow down, to half speed, like bullet time in 'Enter the Matrix'. He rushes me, he's still moving fast but not as fast. He comes in with a haymaker that would've taken my head off, I duck under and smash him in the stomach, with a hard right. I hear a grunt for my trouble, he reaches down. I can hurt him! I feel pain in my hand. I quick step back. He comes at me again, I realize my advantage, I'm actually the faster one here. All that bulk takes time to move. He swings another haymaker, I dodge again. I swing in and smash him in one of his overlarge eyes. He stumbles back. He feints left, and goes for a fast right, it knocks me off my feet. I jump back up before he can capitalize on it.

"Damn your ugly," I say to him.

He growls and rushes me head on, I side step, and grab Tali's knife off his waist as he passes. Yeah, that's some motor control. I hold it out in front of me, he notices the knife and laughs, he pulls out his knife, and by knife I mean small machete, I'd guess around 16 inches long. I may have made this situation much worse than it had been. He flips his single edged knife around so that the blunt side was facing me. Guess he's not gonna cut my head off. He swings it, I duck under its arc and shove my knife forward. I stab into a seam on his armor the knife goes halfway in and breaks. So there I am, facing a huge pissed off krogan, who's wielding a short sword basically, with a broken knife. I do the only sane thing, I get as much distance between me and him as possible without leaving the room. I dodge another swing and duck to the right, straight into a corner. He catches me in the corner and smiles a deadly smile that made cold sweat bead up everywhere on my body.

"I hope this doesn't kill," he laughs down at me. He brings his knife up for a huge overhand chop. I see my life flash before my eyes... I don't remember that... I see a figure move from the shadows and leap on him, it's Zaeed.

"What the hell are you doing here," I shout.

"Eliminating the..." He starts stabbing the krogan, in the neck. The krogan roars and smashes him into a wall. Zaeed crumples to the ground,

I jump forward, I have to take advantage of this. I jam my knife all the way into his throat. The broken knife. He smashes me back into a wall. He pulls the handle out of his throat and throws it over his shoulder. I hear it clatter to the ground.

"There's... no pay... for you dead," he wheezes, "but the... pleasure I'll... get from killing... you will... be worth... it." He grabs the front of my shirt and lifts me off the ground. He starts by smashing me in the face, I nearly blackout. He drops me, and kicks me across the room. I think I hear a crunch. I look out through my one good eye the other was unwilling to open. I see a large blur move towards me. I get on my hands and knees and try to get up. He kicks me in my side. I get sent back into a wall, I reflexively grab at my side. Damn that hurt.

"Bosh'tet," I hear Tali shout. Tali, she was tied up. I force my eye open, I see her standing there the krogan's huge knife in her hands. He moves unsteadily over to her. I force my way up, she won't last two seconds against him. I manage to get to my feet. I've got pains over most of my body, the burns which haven't completely healed, the bruises I got from catching the ceiling, and all the injuries from this fight make standing hurt. I'm grateful for adrenaline, I stumble into the krogan and, surprisingly I shove him away into a wall. I stumble and fall, I'm right next to Zaeed. I roll over just in time to see Tali sink her new knife to the hilt in his head. I groan as my adrenaline slowly goes away.

"Will," Tali exclaims, while she runs over to me.

"Are... you... ok," I ask through the pain.

"Bosh'tet," she says she hugs me without thinking. Pain, pain... worth it. Ouch...

I groan louder. She pull out medi gel and begins spreading it across my injuries. "Thank you nurse," I say as the pain starts to fade. Luckily medi gel also numbs pain.

"Why'd you come," she asks.

"If you have to ask that question we need to get to know each other better," I smile at her.

I hear Zaeed groan. Tali goes for her new knife.

"Give him medi gel for saving us."

"He was chasing us earlier," she argues.

"Then he saved us," I argue back. "It's karma, he tried to save us we try to help him." Plus I need some answers.

"If he decides to come after us in the future," she asks.

"You won't be here," I say with a sigh. The OSD, was durable and had survived the fight, I fish it out of my pocket. "You've got your people," I say sadly holding it out to her.

"What's this," she asks taking it.

"All the information from the surviving geth terminals, all the schematics and everything for the geth being constructed," I answer, "should be enough for a captain to accept you." I feel horrible, I'm happy to help her and happy to see her safely return to her people, but... damn it I'm sad, I'll miss her. "You can't stay with me anymore."

"I understand," she says sadly. Oh, god that tone breaks my heart. I feel more horrible now. I made Tali sad. She turns away from me and performs emergency aid on Zaeed. I feel a tear in the corner of my eye. I wipe it away.

Sadly I say to myself, "One more to go." I spit out a tooth.

* * *

**A/N: Will is starting to cuss much more gradually. So now it's just Saleon.  
**** And has anyone noticed Will is getting more beat up than in the last one.  
He was in a crash,****shot, a building fell on him, then got the crap kicked  
out of him by a krogan. Bad things happen more often in this one.  
Questions will be answered so don't get all tick saying  
'Why didn't Zaeed just shoot him?' I have a reason  
And finally Tali saves Will's life... or is it mutual  
lots of stuff happens all we have left now is  
Garrus' personal mission**

**I did a little trick with single spacing... Don't ask me why.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: And chapter ten, enjoy.  
**

* * *

**Ch. 10**

""**I'm not good. I'm not even great. I'm the best damn helmsman in the Alliance fleet."**

**Jeff "Joker" Moreau**

"God damnit," I hear Zaeed say as he wakes up. "I haven't felt this bad since that hanar nearly strangled me to death."

Let me set the mood, it's dark, empty, a giant spotlight, on Zaeed. I found a small room, rigged the light, and wasn't in a good mood when I tied Zaeed to the chair. "Morning," I greet with a threatening tone.

"Don't tell me you're going to interrogate me," he laughs. "You don't have the balls to torture someone."

I pull out another chair. "True," I accept the fact I'm too nice to cause pain to a helpless opponent. "So why not tell me what I want to know," I ask, "it's not like it'll change things at all."

He mulls it over for a minute, "All right then, shoot."

"Why didn't you shoot the krogan," I ask. A strange first question but it had been bugging me.

"Pistol might've taken to long, and that bloody rifle's a retired old bitch." He motions to where I have his gear stored over in a corner, the rifle however I had gently laid out on a table, you know Jessie his rifle. "I thought I could handle that big bastard on my own."

"Why carry it then," I ask.

"Good luck charm, didn't think I'd need it."

"All right then who hired you," I ask.

"You already know kid," he answers, "I can see it in your eyes."

"No, I mean what did the agent look like," I ask. Any lead I can get will help.

"Pretty little asari," he answers, that just covers the entire race.

"Any specific markings," I ask.

"No," he answers, "very cloak and dagger."

"How much was he paying you," I ask.

"Pay, he didn' pay," Zaeed scoffs, "it was a bounty, or as his agents called it a contest." He laughs, "Can you believe that a bloody contest."

"So how much was the prize," I ask, the Owner is a very, very strange person.

"The payout was a hundred million for you alive, thirty for the girl dead, for some reason if you were captured the bounty on the girl disappears." I guess the Owner wanted to either, capture me, or torture me. So with me captured, there's no reason to bother with her... despite my behavior. Though I can't even predict how he thinks.

"Why'd the krogan go after her instead of me," I ask.

"Good strategy was using the girl as bait, like the krogan did."

"Should I expect another hundred bounty hunters to come after me," I ask worried.

"Only a few were invited to the party," Zaeed explains, "my employer seemed to like keeping things small."

"So the winner got the spoils," I ask. Whoever caught me likely would get the payout, so it was sort of a bounty... why did the Owner make things so complicated and weird.

"Yeah," he answers, he doesn't really seem to care he's tied to a chair.

"How many," I ask.

"Of us, ten... in the beginning," he answers. Ten, why have I seen only two then?

"How many now," I ask.

"One," he answers, "me, the rest of those poor bastards are dead."

"What happened to the others," I ask.

"One crew tried a half assed pirate attack," he answers, "the Owner killed them for endangering you unduly." He scoffs, "What kind of a goddamn bastard, kills his employees for endangering a bounty." I'm guessing if I had died on the ship, I would've been sucked out into space and the Owner would never have found my graybox, so...

"Someone interested in an intact body," I answer.

"That was about three right there," he continues, "another infiltrated a blue suns operation on Omega with a partner." "Heard you killed him, and his partner without knowing he was after you." Wow, that's lucky.

"That's half not counting you and ugly, that leaves three."

"Ever heard of eliminating the competition kid," he asks, "I took care of two the krogan got the other." Wow that's ruthless...

"And saving me," I ask.

"Are you deaf," he asks, "eliminating the competition," he says slowly. He doesn't quite seem to understand he's tied to a chair and I have every advantage.

"You're still going to go after me," I ask. I don't know what I'd do if he says yes...

"No, this job's turned to shit," he answers, "I don't really trust the character who put this all together, he might just kill me when I bring you in."

"Not worth the risk," I ask.

"I've still got something to do before I die," he says firmly I see the anger in his eye. The other ones pretty unreadable.

"Vido Santiago," I say relishing my knowledge.

"What do you know about Vido," he says straining against the chair.

"Be happy I'm about to tell you a secret," I grin. "I can see the future."

"You're a goddamn madman."

"You founded the blue suns along with Vido, you lead the teams he managed the books, he wanted to hire more batarians you didn't trust them, then you parted rather roughly when Vido staged a coup and shot you in the head," I said all that in one breath. His eyes widen. "All that did was make you angry."

"How..."

"Want to know your fortune," I ask now that I've got him hooked.

"Give me a scrap of info on Vido and you'll never see me again," he answers hungrily. I hope not, I hope to see you on the Normandy.

"Are you a patient person," I ask. I can't give him a location but maybe I can give him the path.

"Sometimes."

"You'll be approached by Cerberus in a year or two," I add, "they'll want to hire you for a suicide mission." "Take the job and you'll see Vido."

"I don't normally do suicide missions," he states.

"It's a free fortune that's all you get."

"All right thanks," he mumbles. "You're sure," he asks.

"A hundred percent, you'll see Vido in under 2 years if you sign on when Cerberus comes to recruit you."

He looks around, "Where's your girl," he asks. I sigh.

"She's gone home."

* * *

As it turned out a quarian ship had been docked with the Citadel, a few calls through Anderson, a day of them checking her background, and the crew was more than happy to transport one of their own back to the fleet. We had stood at the umbilical to their ship for over ten minutes before either of us said a word. "So your going home," I had said. I fiddled around with the dressings they had put on my wounds.

"Yeah," she said back. I had fumbled around with the broken knife for a short while.

"This is yours, sorry I broke it," I say like a child returning a toy, I hold it out to her.

"Thanks," she said to me whiled taking the knife back. She handed me the krogans huge knife. "I won't need this," she had explained, she handed me a sheathe she had made. "This should help carry it around." It was made from scraps of my old armor. When did she get time to make this? It hung down at my waist like a sword. I put the knife/sword baby away.

"Thanks," I said gratefully, happy that I had something material to remember Tali by.

"Yeah . . . " we just stand there.

I take a deep breath, "Tali I . . . " She pulls me close for a hug. I hug her back. "I'll miss you." I feel tears come down my face. I knew it was temporary but damn it, it was a sad moment. All the women in my life keep disappearing, first Shepard, though there was no feelings beyond bro/sis vibe I got, then Liana, there might have been something, my heart skipped a beat every time I saw her, and I was smiling and laughing around her constantly. And she practically said she was interested in me in her going away message. And now Tali, who I've practically been in love with since ME1 came out. And it turns out in person, I care about her more.

"Hey, hey," I heard Garrus interrupt, I never wanted to punch a person in a wheel chair more. He could have walked with crutches but he insisted on riding in the wheel chair. "Don't I get a hug."

I kicked the chair and he rolled back, "You killed the moment," I said to him as he rolled away.

I turned back to Tali, "Will," she said.

"Call me and I'll be there," I said, sounded like a corny super hero line. Then she turned, and walked towards the ship, and out of my life. For now at least.

Garrus had rolled up, "You two aren't to big on making it official are you," he asked.

"What," I asked back.

"You two make lovey dovey eyes, and yet neither of you have said the magic words."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I've still got something to find out before I can say those words.

"Obviously."

"You can't lecture me."

* * *

My interrogation of Zaeed, hadn't led to anything. So I turned him loose and headed home, I had been set up in the embassy. Garrus' apartment wasn't deemed safe enough, and Anderson had offered me this room. I accepted while the ship that would take us to Saleon was being cleared. It took around two days, two days of me answering the door with my knife drawn, two days of no 'sunlight' two days alone. I hacked up some of the furniture, what I was bored and it looked at me funny... ok I pretended it looked at me funny, what I was bored.

"Will," I hear Garrus shout not bothering to use the intercom. "They're ready for us."

I walk to the door, knife... you know what I'll just call it a machete from now on. Machete in my hand casually. The door opens, there's Garrus, Ashley, and Anderson, I put the knife away.

"What's up," I ask.

"I remember what you said about needing armor, and considering what happened," Anderson begins, he puts down a large box. "We got you this."

I use the machete to cut the bindings that held it closed. It was a new set of armor, heavy Colossus armor, the coolest looking in the game, besides Partisan but you can only get that on PC. Colossus armor is black with red trim, my favorite colors.

"I'm gonna go try this on," I pick up the armor, wow it's heavier than it looks. I head into another room, I get all the pieces in place, it restricts my movement more than my previous armor, but I feel like I could survive a barrage of ammo and keep going. I put the helmet under my arm. I walk out.

"Lookin good," Ash teases.

"It doesn't make my butt look big," I ask trying to look back. I grin.

Garrus shakes his head, and face palms, "See what I've been stuck with."

I need these small laughs. I notice someone waiting outside the door. "Joker," I say with a grin. I walk over and hold my hand out to him, "It's good to see you."

"Yeah," he doesn't shake my hand. Oh crap his disease.

"So what're you doing here," I ask confused, I thought he joined Cerberus.

"I was working a desk job for Captain Anderson," he explains, "but I'm retiring early." Ah, so this is Joker's quitting day. "I figured I'd visit since I was in the neighborhood, and heard there was cake."

"Sorry the cake is a lie." "What are you going to do now,' I ask, even though I already know.

He glances around nervously, I didn't really talk to him much on the Normandy. But it seems like he's mellowed out a bit. Maybe it's because he's still bothered by Shepard's death. "I don't know pilot commercial,"

"Well, I'm sure you'll have no shortage of job offers," I finish. Including a secret organization named after the guardian of Hades, Cerberus, for the mythological illiterate.

He seems uncomfortable, "I'll just be going, seeing as I have somewhere else to be..."

"Later."

"So our ship," I say turning to Anderson.

"You'll have to take a transport to Eden Prime," he explains, "then take a ship from there to your destination."

"So a quick stop at where it all began," I say ominously.

"Where it all began," Garrus confirms.

"Yeah," Ashley says.

"Are you coming too," I ask smiling.

"Anderson is sending me with you," she answers.

"I'm guessing whatever business you have with that ship isn't going to be pretty," he explains, "Chief Williams will be able to watch your backs."

"Never turn down help," I say to Garrus.

"I wasn't going to," he answers. "Who's in charge," Garrus asks.

"Me," I say raising my hand, "I called it." Hah, I called being leader, there's no way they can cut me out now.

"I think..." Garrus begins, I give him the evil eye.

"Mr. Doe can be in charge," Anderson answers, "only of the squad."

"Yes," I fist pump.

Both Garrus and Ashley look at Anderson their body language saying, 'this guy, really?'

"We going to check out a civilian vessel," I explain, "not a war-zone, I'm pretty sure I can get us through that alive."

"It wouldn't be a bad mission to get some experience on," Garrus concedes. "It'll be simple enough."

"Plus he'll never shut up unless we let him," Ashley points out.

"Too true," I accept that fact, it works to my advantage.

"So a short vacation on Eden Prime," Ashley begins...

"Wait how long are we going to be there," I ask.

"A few days," she answers, "the ship that's going to take us to the..." She checks her omni tool, "MSV Fedele." "Is finishing inspection at Arcturus Station." "I'm going to leave what the ship is a surprise."

"Why go to Eden Prime first," I ask confused, "wouldn't it be faster to go to Arcturus Station and wait there."

Ash shifts around, "I want to do some things on Eden Prime," she answers.

"All right that's all I needed to know," I say accepting. I have no where better to be and Saleon isn't going anywhere, and if he dies of starvation or the psycho patients on his ship I think it would be karmic justice.

I wonder what it is she wants to do . . . old boyfriend maybe? Last respects to her fallen unit? I'm not going to pry, when we land I'm going to go sightseeing. The first time I was there I was running around dodging geth patrols. Now I can wander the city... well not yet I'm not on the planet yet.

"When do we leave," I ask excited.

"Now are you packed," Ashley asks.

"I'm wearing everything I own," I answer. "Besides the change of clothes in the other room."

"Wait," Ash says, "you've been wearing the same outfit for months, eww."

"It's all I own," a thought occurs to me, "holy crap I'm homeless." "I have no place to my name."

"You have over eighty million credits," Garrus argues.

"Ok, so I'm rich and homeless."

"You're an idiot," Garrus says.

"Wow," I pretend to get shot and fall to the ground, "ouch, that hurt." "You're the missing link between dinosaurs and birds," I say as I jump back up.

"What," Garrus asks.

"Gayrus," I mutter.

"Wait what did you say," he says exasperated.

"Gay-rus," I say slowly and mockingly.

He sighs, "I'm trapped with this guy for the whole trip aren't I," he asks a grinning Ashley, and Anderson who was sighing and shaking his head.

I'll admit it to the world and myself, I'm a bit of an idiot and child sometimes... but hey those are just a few my good points...

* * *

**A/N: Tali's gone... now all the alien chicks are gone and we're stuck with human chicks, well chick... and Garrus.  
Off topic: yay I got another reviewer thank you Super-Saiyan-3-Vegeta for reviewing.  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I have no idea what to say right now... besides enjoy Ch.11  
**

* * *

**Ch. 11**

"**Organics fear us. We wish to understand, not incite."**

**Legion**

I didn't really do anything the whole trip, I just kind of sat in our room. Actually that's a lie, there was a zero g area on the ship I hung around. I spent my time trying to navigate from wall to wall. I 'flew' head first into a wall more than once, but hey that's what thick skulls are for . . . maybe I should've worn a helmet.

It was amazing, no weight, nothing tethering you down, complete freedom. It was kind of scary too though. I threw up a few times and had a slight headache, but besides that I really adapted quickly. Well adaptation is survival and I tend to adapt quickly to situations.

"Will," I hear Garrus call, I turn toward the door and spot him coming in. He pushes off and expertly navigates over to me at a fast speed. He lands softly despite it all.

"Show off," I say to him.

"I just have more experience."

"What's up," I ask pushing off to another wall, I reach my hand out and start tumbling. I see Garrus fly by me and stop me before I smash into the wall.

"You shouldn't be in here for too long," he answers.

"Why," I ask, "what's the worst that can happen."

"Your muscles could atrophy, SAS . . . "

"Geeze I've only been in here for an hour," I argue. What the heck is SAS?

"You don't feel sick," he asks, before I ask him.

"I threw up a few times," I point to the globules of vomit floating around.

"You've never been in Zero gravity before," he asks.

"No, why," I ask more insistently.

"You should be puking your guts out," he answers, "not throwing up a little bit."

"I don't know maybe it's the mods," I reply offhandedly not really caring. I wasn't having any serious negative effects besides being a little dizzy, wether it's just how my body works naturally or something that was added I don't really care.

"Will," Garrus says insistently.

"Fine, fine," I push off the wall gently, I don't move I do a backflip due to my top heavy push and grab the wall looking at an upside down Garrus. I work my way along the wall to the door. I open it and move out, all my weight returns at once and I smash into the ground. Garrus comes walking out, using some advanced technique I don't know about.

"Magnetic boots," he says to me. Ok so it was magnetic boots, not a technique.

I jump up, my burns had since healed from the factory fiasco, so all I really had was a killer black eye that was still visible, a small gap in my teeth, and a few bruises. I wince in spite of myself. "We almost there," I ask.

"Another few hours," he answers.

"Space travel takes forever," I say, while getting the hang of walking all over again. I stumble, but Garrus catches me. "Thanks."

"See what I mean," he says, "you can barely walk."

I shove him away, "I'm all right." I walk unsteadily and start getting back in the groove of things. "Have you been to Eden Prime before," I ask him.

"No," he answers, "have you?"

"Only that one time with Shepard," I answer. Oops, I said the s word.

"Of course . . . " he looks away briefly.

"Tis better to love then lost then to never have loved at all," I say to Garrus, I've forgotten who said that first.

"That was Tennyson," Ashley says appearing out of nowhere.

"So that's where that quote came from," I say relieved to have an answer.

"You talking about Tali," Ashley asks.

"No . . . " I see Garrus turn incredibly uncomfortable, "Liana."

"What's wrong with humans," Ashley asks out of nowhere.

I'm taken aback. I never expected that question. "Uh . . . what?"

"You've got crushes, and don't say you don't on only alien women," she explains. "Why," she asks.

I've been knocked off balance, "I'm attracted to human women," I answer. "I've just met more aliens I like than humans."

"What about Shepard," Ashley asks.

"What," me and Garrus say at the same time. Ashley and I both look over at Garrus.

He clears his throat, "I'll be over here."

"Why do you ask that," I ask her.

"You out of all the crew, excluding Kaidan, spent the most time with her talking," she answers.

"Was Shepard a recluse or something," I ask. "We didn't talk that often, and it was mainly her asking me about my past." "I think of Shepard like a big sister," I answer, I notice a flaw in that sentence I used current tense.

"Think," she asks.

I sigh, time to test my acting, "It's been hard," I lie . . . sort of. "It was easier with her, she told me a direction and gave me an order, and I did it." "Now I've got no direction," I finish.

"So you've been helping the others because you don't know what to do," she asks. Subject changed successfully.

"That and it's always fun helping out," I answer. "It's weird but I'm finding these life or death situations a little exhilarating." "Actually I take that back. I hate the death part . . . "

"Considered joining the Alliance officially," she asks from out of nowhere.

"Then I'd have to go to training then, school, then I have to listen to Udina." "I'm good as a Merc for now." That last thought especially scares me, Udina my boss, I'd quit in a day.

"Something to think on."

I like being able to do as I want with no one as my boss . . . most of the time, there are those times when I'm stuck and need someone to give me direction. But I like to believe most of the time, I'm quite independent.

A few hours and stupid hijinks later, don't ask, we're entering the atmosphere of Eden Prime. It's less exciting than it sounds. It was less exciting than a plane landing.

We set down, shuffle off, and get a good look at Eden Prime while it's not under attack. "It still bears the scars of the battle," I say looking out over the field. There were small indicators of the battle, when Saren attacked, but the land was healing. For being so close to a city the air was clear.

"Come on," Ashley orders. Drawing me to the situation at hand. There was a shuttle waiting for us. A human in what I can only describe as a chauffeur's outfit. With a sign that said, "Ashley Williams."

"Ms. Williams," the driver asks as we approach.

"Yes," she answers.

"Are we staying in a big hotel," I ask cutting into the conversation.

"Councilor Anderson has taken care of everything," he opens the door to the shuttle. "May I take your bags," he asks.

"My only luggage is this armor and my knife," I answer. I lost the really important pistol when a building collapsed on me, and I left the change of clothes behind.

"I travel light," Garrus answers. Carrying only a pair of bags, which I'm guessing had rifles and how to care for them.

"I can handle my stuff," Ashley answers putting the bags she was carrying, for neither Garrus, nor I was being chivalrous, in the back. We take the middle, and Ashley gets shotgun. We soar off.

"Hotel," I ask.

"We've prepared rooms for you," the driver answers. We land in the city.

"Where are we staying," I ask.

I see a fair sized building nothing compared to the ones in NYC, but bigger than most around. We head into the building. Ashley carrying all her bags. I figure by now chivalry has been dead more than 200 years, hey leave me alone, she's more of a man than I am . . . wait a minute I think I just insulted myself.

"Your rooms are ready," the woman behind the counter says after our driver checks us in.

"Are our rooms the priciest," I ask.

"No they're average," the driver answers.

I push him out of the way, "Cancel those rooms," I order. I pull out my credit chit, "I want the biggest, most expensive room you have."

"That would be the honeymoon sweet," she answers.

"...Second biggest."

"All right sir," she types on the computer. I pass her my chit she scans it and hands it back to me.

"Have a nice day," she says with one of those phony smiles that have been practiced for years.

I make my own phony smile, "No you have a nice day," I say using the same nice tone. We walk off toward the elevator. Yay, I wonder if we'll have an elevator conversation.

"Chief Williams, what have you been doing since . . . the Normandy went down," Garrus asks.

"My duty," she answers, "going where I'm ordered."

"And occasionally requesting to join a couple of friends on a trip to the middle of nowhere," I ask cutting into the conversation.

"When the chance arises," she answers with a small smile. Ok, I'm hopeless around any women, regardless of species, I haven't met a krogan, salarian, or turian woman yet.

There's a thought, "Garrus," I get his attention, "how come I rarely see turian women," I ask.

"Asari and quarians aren't enough for you," he asks, half-joking . . . I think.

"Quit being a smartass and answer the question, is it a cultural thing," I ask.

"You've seen turian women, but you just haven't realized they were women."

"I think I know the . . . actually. I don't what are the indicators of a turian woman."

"How is it I can tell human genders apart, but you can't tell turians apart?" It's quite easy to tell humans apart.

"Maybe because you worked as a police officer and interacted with all these different cultures while the first turian I've ever seen was around a year ago." I fainted two seconds later but he doesn't need to know that . . .

"I see," he answers, "turian women, have a slightly curved fringe, a smaller carapace and mandibles, and their waists are . . . "

"Supportive," I ask using his description of Shepard in their romance scene.

"Right."

"What about . . . " ok how do I phrase this with Ashley in the elevator. Let's see come on knowledge. Actually I figure I might as well stop before I turn Garrus into a turian-sex-ed teacher . . . not that I was going to ask about anything like that . . .

He holds his hand up, "I'll send you a vid on turians if it will stop this conversation from going any further." Everything gets quiet.

"What about krogan," I ask.

Ding, we reach the top floor, yes the elevator . . . wait what's past tense for ding. Dang, dinged? I hear Garrus sigh. We check out our hotel room, and by hotel room. I look out, I see over the city, I there's woods in one direction and endless fields in the others. The sun's just setting.

"Bed time," I say running to one of the two beds.

"Ashley gets one," Garrus says.

"You guys could share," she says to us. No chance in hell. I look over at Garrus, and he has a similar look on his face.

"I'll sleep on the floor," I say getting off the bed. I use my bag as a pillow and lay down on the floor.

"He always seems to sleep on the floor," Ashley points out.

"Yeah, he's slept on a bed once since I've met him," Garrus adds.

"He also isn't deaf," I say to them. "Or asleep so good night." I close my eyes and try to sleep, but every moment they're closed I see flashes of my time with Tali and Liana. In the markets buying my omni tool, the fighting on Feros, the mission for the Owner, talking to Tali in the engine room, finally the goodbyes, in person in Tali's case, or a message in Liana's case. I fall asleep confused, as I always seem to be.

_I'm staring out over the world from on high, I hear a twig snap, I spin around nothing . . . "Who's there," I shout. Still, nothing I hear rustling all around me. Another twig snaps directly behind me I turn . . . _

"Get up," I hear someone say.

"I don't want to go to school," I mumble groggily.

"Wake up," it's a woman's voice.

"Five more minutes mom," I mumble, someone kicks me in the stomach. "Who hit me?" I jump up. Wide awake. I see Garrus and Ashley wide awake and dressed.

"That would be me," Ashley says.

"Why," I ask.

"You were talking in your sleep," Ashley answers, "and you called me mom."

"You also seem to be afraid of going to school," Garrus adds.

"What," I say shrugging and grinning, "I am still a teenager."

"I can't believe Shepard picked you over us in most of the missions," Ashley adds from out of nowhere.

"Neither can I," I continue truthfully, "but I'm glad she did."

"She didn't pick him over us that often." Thanks for the save Garrus.

"There was the time on Therum," Ashley says.

"Which for all we knew would just be finding Liara, she couldn't have known we'd be in combat." Therum was supposed to be simple enough investigate why the dig went quiet, for all any of us, well them, knew it was just a messed up radio.

"Then on Virmire," Ashley argues.

"That was heavy fighting," Garrus continues, "so why'd she bring the least experienced in combat with her?" You know what I should break the news to Garrus . . . oh crap, I forgot to tell Tali before she left.

"I see the future," I tell Garrus. Might as well tell him now.

"Are you making a joke," he asks, "I honestly can't tell any more."

I laugh, it does sound crazy, "I have dreams that see into the future," I clarify.

"You're serious," he asks.

"A hundred and ten percent," I answer a dead serious look on my face.

"You are serious," he says surprise written on his face. "What's the lotto," he asks dead serious.

"It doesn't work like that," Ashley says.

"You know too," I ask surprised. Guess Anderson didn't keep it that secret.

"Anderson told me," she answers with a shrug. She punches me in the arm.

"What was that for," I ask grabbing my shoulder. It doesn't hurt but it's a reflex.

"Not trusting me enough to tell me," she answers gruffly.

"We never even talked on the Normandy," I argue still holding my shoulder.

"Whose fault is that," she asks matter-of-factly.

"Mutual," I mutter. She never made any attempt to talk to me.

"What," she says holding her fist up threateningly.

"Nothing," I cringe. It doesn't hurt that much, but it's all in good fun. I turn serious, which is kind of hard, "The dreams are getting confusing now," I continue on with the original topic.

"How," Ashley asks.

"The one before my last one, I dreamed that I was in a firefight with a group of machines, Garrus got hit and while I tried to carry him away someone shot me."

"That's what happened to me," Ashley exclaims.

"Nearly a hundred percent of my dreams have been from my point of view," I add. "But, for some reason I was seeing through your eyes on that day."

"Creepy," Garrus says.

"Just don't do it while I'm in the shower," Ashley jokes.

"You guys are really taking this pretty well," I say to them surprised.

"Prophetic dreams," she laughs. "We followed a woman who pointed the way to an ancient long lost planet with visions, to stop an ancient race of sentient machines from wiping out the galaxy," Ashley answers, "it's not that big a stretch."

"Ok that's off my chest," I say I feel a little freer now. I wonder how I'll feel when I finally tell them I'm from another dimension . . . not that I plan on doing that anytime soon.

"What do you want to do," Ashley asks after a silence descends on the room.

"Tv," I say sitting down on an unoccupied bed.

"You mean you want to watch the vid screen," Garrus asks. "That's an awfully ancient way of . . . "

I turn on the vid screen, "sh, watching something." The news came on first.

"...There have been unconfirmed reports of geth near the dig site, no evidence has been discovered supporting this . . . ," the reporter says.

"I know what I want to do," I say to Ashley and Garrus . . . something about this seems familiar.

"I think I know too," Ashley says determined.

"I'll get my rifle," Garrus says going over to one of his bags.

Two hours later, we're hiking through familiar territory, the area around where I first met Shepard. We find the last reported area the geth was seen. Most reports said there was more than one, though a rare few insisted on seeing a single geth.

Garrus activates his omni tool, "Found something," he says. He highlights an area with it, and it shows a pathway that something had gone through. It wouldn't be that suspicious it's just that the footprints had only three toes. They were geth footprints.

"Let's go," I say pulling out the extra rifle Garrus had let me borrow. We begin following the trail, and we find a location where it splits. One path follows the foot steps the other leads to a large hill that looks out over the area. "You two that way," I gesture to the path that continues through the woods, "I'll go this way," I gesture to the hill.

"I should go with you," Ashley suggests worried about me, or having no faith in my combat skills.

"I can handle myself," I reply with a scoff. I believe there's a single geth, it's a gut instinct but something's bothering me . . . Geth, I think I'm starting to lose some of my memories from my world. And this one will annoy me to death. It's probably just one that got left behind in the attack.

I sprint ahead, jumping over roots, cutting around trees, and finally I reach the top of the hill. I look out around and see the forest is a lot smaller than it looks with fields stretching out as far as I can see, the only blotch being the occasional town or city.

It's peaceful, I feel like I could just lay down and . . . I hear a twig snap. I turn and bring my rifle to chest level with anyone approaching. "Who's there," I call out with the authority of someone with a gun. I hear rustling. "You've got two seconds before I start shooting," I shout. I hear the rustling directly behind me, I spin and come face to face with a pistol leveled at my head. Holding it was a geth trooper, but strangely enough this one had an antenna, usually only the bigger geth have those, wait Legion did . . . oh, shit I'm such an idiot. Legion went to Eden Prime. This is Legion before he was named Legion, no gaping hole in his chest, no N7 armor welded on.

"Lower your weapon or we will be forced to shoot," Legion says in his robotic monotone.

I slowly put my rifle down, I don't want to cause a misunderstanding maybe I could keep Legion from getting shot here. "I put it down," I say slowly. "Can we talk," I ask.

"You are Will'Doe," he sates like he knows, it's a fact.

"Yes," I answer, "now can I ask what you're doing here."

"You were a part of Shepard'Commander's crew," he adds.

"Yes," I answer.

"Why are you hunting us," he asks. I've decided Legion is a he.

"I heard there was a geth out in the woods, I assumed it was a heretic," I answer revealing a little too much. "That's what the geth who attacked the Citadel alongside . . . " what did he call Sovereign, dialogue floods back to me after seeing him, " . . . Nazara." "While the mainstream geth remained behind the Perseus Veil."

"How do you know so much about geth," he asks. I'm from an alternate dimension where all this is a video game and you were one of my favorite characters, and I can't believe how stupid I am for forgetting . . .

"I'm smart," I answer, I'm trying to keep a monotone.

"Where did you get information on geth," he asks, I don't know about lying to a machine that wouldn't think twice about killing me.

"I can't tell you," I say to him. "And if you kill me you'll make an enemy of Shepard, and all of my friends, Shepard, the only one who can stop the old machines." I use the geth's term for the Reapers.

"Shepard'Commander is deceased," Legion states.

"You think something as simple as dying will keep her down," I laugh finally breaking my counter monotone. "She'll fight off death like Heracles." I run through the myth, Heracles was staying at a friend's house, the friend's wife died and Heracles, or Hercules, fought against death and brought her back from the underworld.

"Heracles, ancient Greek mythology . . . " he states, "illogical."

"Here's logic, you kill me your people will be attacked by my friends and you'll build a wall in any chance to have peace," I say I may overstate my importance but hey I'm allowed to when my life is on the line. "You can't isolate yourselves forever," I add.

"We do not seek conflict," Legion replies.

"I guess I didn't really put on a good show of faith coming up here with a weapon drawn." "I'm going to put my rifle away," I say to him. "May I," I ask politely.

"Please refrain from attempting to assault this platform," he states.

"Trust me, I'm not going to hurt you now," I say to him smiling. I slowly bend down and keeping the barrel of the rifle pointing in the opposite direction of Legion, and I put it on the magnetic holster on my back. I calm down, "Can we continue civilly without guns," I ask trying to be as unthreatening as possible.

"We see no need to cont-," a hole appears right where it was in the games another blows his arm off at the shoulder. He falls over.

"Shit," I say out loud, "Legion." I run forward and grab him, I lift him off the ground over my shoulder. I could make a hundred different 'need a hand jokes' but this seems a little too serious for that. I take off sliding down the hill. He must've been sniped, long range. I'm guessing Garrus and Ashley did it. "Geth," I say to Legion.

"Damaged-damaged," he repeated constantly. Damn it.

I keep heading through the forest, "Garrus might try to finish Legion off," I say to myself. "Where's your ship," I ask.

The undamaged arm moves to the right, "d-d-d-directio-n."

"I don't know if I can repair you," I say as I take off toward the direction he pointed out.

"S-s-ship," he stutters. I keep moving and hoping for the best. I spot a small drop ship, "U-u-uploa-d-ding."

The ship powers on, "Place the mobile platform inside," Legion's voice says over the speakers. Well I guess it makes sense that he would upload to the ship to pilot it. I move to a hatch, and it pops open. Inside there's almost no lighting, with the exception of the light filtering in from the open hatch. I move inside there's a table in the center of a room. Mechanical arms moved and whirred around. Cozy . . .

"Where do I set you, it down," I ask, probably one of the weirder questions I've asked.

"The table."

I move over to the obvious place and gently put 'Legion' down on the table. The arms begin moving around and repairing wires and other things. "You should probably get out of here," I say to the ship. Man how cool would it be to travel on a living . . . well sort of living . . . ship.

"Evacuate," the ship Legion orders.

"Later," I say stepping out.

"Proceed to a minimum safe distance," he advises. I take off through the woods. So that's nice, I finally get to meet Legion and he get's his arm shot off. That makes an awesome first impression. Wait a minute . . . I forgot his arm! Guess that I'll just give him it later.

* * *

**A/N: The arm will play some kind of role in the future... all I'm saying. There I left you with a mystery. Now you will have to wonder...  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:I wanted to give Will his own quote... Enjoy chapter 12.**

* * *

**Ch. 12**

"**Use the for- no, that's Star Wars, the wand chooses the . . . no, that's Harry Potter, hasta la vis-, nope Terminator . . . Oh forget it, On to life!" **

**Will Doe**

I met up with Garrus and Ashley a short while later. Neither of them looks particularly happy to see me . . . "What the hell was that," Ashley asks practically shouting.

"I think it was a space ship," I reply. I had picked up and hidden Legion's arm behind my back.

"Don't," she orders, "why did you help the geth?"

"What geth," I ask nonchalantly. She's getting more aggravated.

"Stop," she orders, "Why did you help that geth."

"It talked to me," I answer. Part of the reason . . . the real one being it's Legion.

"What did it say, 'I want to be friends'," she shouts.

"What is your problem," I ask.

"Have you seen what the geth have done," Ashley asks. "Here and all over the pace."

I sigh, "I have my reasons," I say to Ashley. She scoffs and walks away. I'm going to get a lot of heat for this. I look over to Garrus. "Your thoughts," I ask.

He doesn't say anything just walks down the path . . . So I helped a geth why are they making such a big deal out of this. I pull Legion's arm out from behind my back. My first thought is if this thing moves I'm gonna freak out. Second one, you better be grateful. I head after them, "Wait up."

"Why," Ashley asks after I catch up.

"What's the big deal," I ask, "it was one geth."

"It was a geth," Ashley shouts, "they killed Kaidan." It all clicks together. My eyes open wide.

"There it is," I say somberly. I look away, "Please just trust me."

"We do," Garrus says, "despite knowing almost nothing definitive about you, we've trusted you with our lives."

"I guess I could be a little less cryptic, and mysterious," I say looking at him. "Fine, shoot."

"Don't tempt me," Ashley says she was a little emotional still but . . . working on it.

"Where are you from," Garrus asks.

"Earth," I answer, "North America, New York."

"You're from Earth," Ashley asks.

"Yes . . . " crap this could hurt me. They could discover I don't know about the political situation on Earth.

We play twenty questions all the way back to the hotel, with me answering to the best of my abilities and leaving out details that screamed, I'm from another dimension! God, my friends would hate me if they knew I had known all along that all this would happen. We enter our hotel.

I wave to the red head female receptionist, and she smiles at me. I head up to our room. I had plenty of energy but I figured I should put up the rifle Garrus let me borrow that I never used, and the arm.

And maybe change into something more comfortable . . . Actually I have no other clothes besides this armor. This armor while very protective, felt heavy, and restricting. I couldn't breathe in it as well as I could in my old armor. My old armor felt made for me . . . actually I guess it was.

When I open the door, I notice something. The rooms have been torn to shreds. All our stuff, well their stuff was on the floor it looked like my room at home. "Garrus," I shout down the hall. I pull my rifle and search around.

"Wha . . . holy spirits," Garrus says looking around.

"Wha . . . holy crap," Ashley says arriving at almost the same time.

"Someone's been through our room," I state the obvious.

They pull out their guns and we search the area. The whole room is clear and everything is there. "Why," Garrus asks after we confirm all our possessions are accounted for.

"A message," I guess, "telling me I'm not safe."

"You aren't the only one with enemies," Garrus argues, "I've put my fair share of criminals away, they could be after me."

"Yeah," I answer, well I guess I'm just being selfish saying everything that happens is about me. Who knows this could've been completely random. I'm just paranoid.

"Garrus," I say to him, "change our room."

"On it," he says heading for the elevator to the lobby. So there I am alone with Ashley in our messed up room helping her pick up her clothes. I pick something up without looking, and it's a bra. I flip out and throw it away from me like it was poison.

"It's just a bra," she says picking it up.

"Well it's just that's . . . to . . . never mind." I'm cocky and confident in most situations, but these are not those situations. These situations are when I'm awkward and weird. I blush.

"I'll put away the nasty bra," she says to mock me playfully.

"You do that," I go back to sorting and . . . yeah you guessed it more women's underwear. This time panties. I throw them away from me.

"Quit throwing my underwear," Ashley orders sternly.

"Sorry it's just awkward for me to . . . "

"Touch women's underwear," she asks.

I scratch the back of my head, "Yeah."

She gets a funny look on her face, "Have you ever . . . "

I though I knew what blushing was, not until that moment. "What," I ask cutting her off. "What's that Garrus," I say to an imaginary voice so I can leave the room. "Ok." I head for the door. I run out in the hallway. I'm so happy that conversation didn't evolve.

I meet Garrus out in the hallway. "I got us new rooms, we'll have to be in separate rooms," Garrus says, "two in one and one in the other."

"I'm not going to be in the same room as Ashley alone," I say to him. That should avoid any awkward conversations like the one I just got away from.

"By splitting up we'll lower the risk, I hope," Garrus says, "we shouldn't all be in one room."

"And Ashley is the one least likely for whomever is doing this to be after," I add, "the only ones with real enemies are you and I." "It's funny you had to work on making enemies, and I didn't." "You had to break all those cases put all those people in jail, me I just said no once to my boss." "And boom, I have a more powerful enemy than you."

"Yes, I'm so jealous," Garrus answers sarcastically.

"Garrus," I mutter.

"You've got to stop that," he orders.

"Should I make up a name for Ashley," I ask.

He sighs, and face palms.

"Assley," I say to myself. "That'll work, Ashley."

"Did you switch brains with a twelve-year-old," he asks.

"Gayrus . . . "

We headed into the room to tell Ashley. "Ashley," I say to get her attention, "we've got separate rooms."

"Good, maybe then my underwear won't be tossed around," she replies. Garrus looks at me.

"I'm afraid of women's underwear," I explain.

He doesn't even question it. "Ok," he says turning from me to Ashley. "Will and I will be in one you in the other." "To respect your privacy."

"Really," Ashley asks skeptically.

"Accept it or I start calling you Assley," I threaten her.

She punches me in the arm, "Fine."

"Why with the hitting and hurting," I ask.

"Reflex," she answers, I guess she wouldn't hit Shepard seeing as she's her superior, but when she's buddy, buddy with a civilian she hits you, a lot.

"I'm going to end up with a bruise," I mutter. "Do you know any good places to hang out," I ask.

She gets an evil look in her eye, "I know a really good place," she answers.

My joke sense is tingling, but I'm still going to whatever place she suggests. I'm smart like that. She says she doesn't want to go, gives us an address and turns in early . . . suspicious.

"Will," Garrus says to get my attention. We're standing outside what seems to be a bar. But something feels off about it. "I have a strange feeling about this place."

"It's not a bad feeling but a weird one," I say to Garrus.

"Like something's wrong," Garrus agrees.

"But not dangerous . . . "

"We'll never find out if we don't go in," Garrus suggests. We begin heading to the door, and I hear pulsing music.

I back out a short while later, I'm gonna kill her . . . slowly and painfully . . .

"You bitch," I say to her later after getting back. I'm outside banging on her door. Yeah I said a bad word that's how serious it was.

"Will," Ashley asks.

"You . . . "

"What," she asks through the door nonchalantly.

"You sent me to a gay bar," I shout indignantly.

"Wait where's Garrus," she asks suddenly.

"Oh crap," I exclaim running for the elevator.

A dramatic rescue later, maybe not so dramatic . . . though a krogan was looking at him funny. Not I want to kill you funny either . . . I shudder.

"I'll kill her," Garrus says. We speed back to the hotel rooms.

"Assley," I shout.

"Keep it down," she replies, "people are trying to sleep."

"That was low Williams," Garrus says.

"Gayrus was traumatized," I add.

"A krogan came onto me," he says with a shudder, "I've never been more scared in my life."

"Can you imagine," I ask.

"Are you two homophobic," she asks through the door.

"No," we answer at the same time, "we're homokroganophobic," we both again say at the same time.

"That sounds made up."

"Uhh," truth be told we had discussed this on the way over. "You sent us to a gay bar," I say again getting back on topic.

"What's the big deal it's not like you got a date," she exclaims.

"You sent us to a place with gay energy do you know what that does to someone's . . . "

"It wasn't that big a deal," Garrus interjects.

"Shut up Gayrus," I shout, "I thought you were on my side in this."

"It was a joke," She shouts back, getting annoyed.

We continue arguing for a little while and Garrus grows more and more annoyed by it finally he interrupts.

"Kiss and make up," Garrus joke orders.

The door opens suddenly, she leans out kisses me and closes the door. "There you go, made up." "Now let me sleep."

I'm frozen, and Garrus is looking at me. I'm stuck, and my brain doesn't know how to react. I begin twitching. I can't think anymore. Garrus leads me back to the room. "Well you've had enough experiences for one night."

The kiss wasn't bad, I just really never expected that . . . I'm still confused . . . I need a manual. I need to find whatever manuals or whatever Garrus has on human women because they're beyond my realm of knowledge . . .

I lay down in my bed not changing out of my armor and fall asleep.

_A human charges toward us madly. I aim for his legs and fire a burst from my gun. He falls to the ground and begins crawling toward us cravenly. He snarls and crawls closer. I level my gun . . . _

Another night, another prophetic dream. Wonder how messed up this one will end up. I wonder if I'm actually seeing through my own eyes.

So after the whole, gay-bar, fiasco, I double checked any places Ashley suggested. On the extranet of course. She actually took us to some cool places, though considering this was considered a paradise it was surprisingly . . . mundane. It was nothing compared to the Citadel or even Omega . . . as disturbing Omega was, it was interesting.

Nothing was happening here, I loved the sights, I love the people moving around. I don't know, I just kind of felt bored. I mean everything, pretty much, up til now has been fast paced, Chasing Saren, Omega, and the Citadel, something was always happening. Sure I just hunted a geth through a forest, got kissed and . . . went to a. . . . bar. It feels different now though.

I sigh, "It's missing something," I say quietly. Someone snaps their fingers in front of my face. It's Ashley. We had stopped in a small park in the center of the city. I'm happy to report most of it was very similar to 21st century. Wooden benches, trees a small pond, and young couples walking around hand in hand.

"What's wrong," she asks.

"I have a crazy person snapping their fingers in my face," I answer.

"You've been spaced out throughout the entire trip."

"Something's missing," I say to her uncertain. "I feel like something is," I sigh. "Missing."

She gets a knowing look, "I know."

"What is it," I ask.

"Nope," she answers almost smugly.

"Tell me," I exclaim.

"It's something you need to figure out for yourself."

"Garrus," I say turning in his direction.

He was staring at a couple that was passing the girl from a distance kind of looked like Shepard.

"Garrus," I say more insistently.

"...what," he doesn't turn away.

"Gayrus," I shout.

"What is it," he asks walking over.

"What's missing," I ask him.

Without prior context I could see how this would be a confusing question. "What," he asks.

"Something feels like it's missing," I say looking around, "and Assley here won't tell me."

She winks at him, she walks up and whispers to him. A small smile passes across his face for an instant. "I see," he says.

"What is it," I ask.

"Can't tell you," he answers. They both have weird smiles on their faces.

I scoff and turn away, I begin walking through the park. They follow behind me.

We arrive back at the hotel, and I get that weird feeling, I feel like someone's watching me. I glance around. There's no one staring at me. I'm going to go crazy if I keep thinking I'm being watched. He can't be everywhere . . . can he?

Whatever, if he comes, I'll fight if not . . . then I won't fight. But I'm starting to hate reacting to his moves. I wish I could strike back, hit him where it hurts, something.

"Something," I say to myself. Today seems to have a few somethings . . . something's missing, something to do, and something something something.

"We leave tomorrow," Ashley informs us when we arrive back at our room.

"How long do you estimate it will take to reach the ship," Garrus asks.

"I have no idea," Ashley answers, "you'll have to ask the captain when we get on board."

I look dead serious. "Faster we sleep," I say, "faster we leave." Ashley says her goodbyes and heads back to her room. When it gets all quiet and I'm laying down in the bed, "What will you do after?"

"I don't know," Garrus answers, "I was thinking of entering spectre training." "Or at least rejoining C-sec."

"Sounds like fun," I reply.

"What about you," Garrus asks, "what will you do when this is over."

"Try to survive," I answer solemnly.

"You could stay with me," Garrus suggests.

"No," I answer, "I'm not going to put my friends at risk."

He gets silent, and I just lay there staring at the ceiling. "Quit being an idiot."

"It's kind of hard," I answer joking, "it's who I am."

"Friends help friends," Garrus says.

"Yeah so I'll help you guys by going far away," I try to use his logic against him.

"Where do you think you'll go," he asks.

"Maybe disappear on Omega," I answer, "I could get some security, or a job with one of the more powerful people there."

"You'd work for those people," Garrus asks surprised.

"If I needed to, I would," I answer with a sigh. Anything to survive.

"I see," he says getting quiet.

"Night," I say drifting off to sleep.

Dreamless sleep has actually become good for me, no worries about the future, no wondering what it might mean. Just darkness . . . wait I'm afraid of the dark, well not afraid but it creeps me out.

I wake up the next morning, duh. I get up. Today's the day we set off after Saleon, I wonder if he will be floating out in space like he's supposed to or if he's hidden off on some planet. I'm hoping the ship because otherwise we won't be able to find him.

Garrus is eating breakfast. He had brought along a nutrient tube. "You know I could buy you any food in the galaxy," I ask.

"This is good for now," he says.

"Ok whatever," I go into the bathroom and check my face. I run back out, and Garrus is laughing. "Seriously," I ask. He had shaved off my eyebrows.

"Sorry couldn't sleep," he answers.

"Why me," I ask.

"Waldo," he says out of nowhere.

"Oh no, you aren't going to try and out name me, Gayrus," I laugh. I wasn't happy about having no eyebrows but a joke is a joke, which didn't involve gay bars . . . "Watch your back," I threaten.

"Come on," he says heading for the door. I fall into step behind him. We go over to Ashley's door. She's coming out carrying her bags. She takes one look at me and looks to be holding back laughter. I put on my helmet.

"I will get you for this," I growl at Garrus. "Somehow in some way that you'll never expect."

"Right," he says not sounding worried at all. "Ready," he asks Ashley.

"Yes," she answers. We head to the elevator. It's all really uneventful all the way to a cab that was waiting for us. Everything being set up in advance of course so . . .

We pack in and take off toward the area the ship had set down in. It was a frigate, a military frigate. Space ships always kind of amazed me . . . well ok. I'm amazed by almost anything here in the ME universe.

We're greeted by several crew members who were waiting outside the umbilical. They salute us, I kind of puff out my chest a bit. "Ma'am," one soldier steps forward to Ashley.

"Why do you have so many bags," I ask her a few days late for that question . . .

"I'm moving into a new posting," she answers.

A red head female crew member steps forward, "May I help you with your things," she asks looking around.

"Yeah . . . all I've got is what I'm wearing."

"I see . . . ," she looks at me weird.

"I have eighty million credits," I say out of nowhere.

"Yet a surprisingly small amount of luggage," she remarks.

"I think I like her," I say to Garrus. She made smart remark.

"Tali will shoot you with her shotgun," he deadpans.

"I know . . . " I wouldn't do anything.

"I'll be showing you around," she says smiling at me. She somehow seems familiar to me . . .

"What about my friend," I say gesturing in Garrus' direction.

"He'll be taken care of," she gestures for me to follow her. I follow her to the entrance.

"Please standby for decontamination," the ship's VI says when we enter the airlock. You know it's weird but I've missed that. We cycle through and I'm greeted by the captain.

"A pleasure to have you aboard," he says while holding his hand out.

"A pleasure to be aboard," I answer shaking his hand. "Thanks for the welcome."

"You're heroes," he answers, "get used to it."

"I think I could," I say with a grin.

"We've done some research on your ship, a medical frigate, owned by a Dr. Heart," he explains. "Any particular reasons you want to pay this doctor a visit?"

"He's a bad guy," I answer. Simple and to the point.

"Will you need help when we arrive," he asks.

"No sir," I answer, I grin, "we can handle ourselves."

He accepts it and then seems to grow a little uncomfortable, he clears his throat. "My daughter is a fan of yours," he says.

I raise my eyebrow, "I didn't think I had fans," I respond.

"She watched you at Shepard's memorial," he answers, "she thought your speech sounded cool . . . " I didn't think my speech was all that good. "When I told her I would be transporting you she . . . " He sighs resignedly, "asked me to get your autograph."

I have no idea what to say . . . or do . . . I'm thinking this is cool that I have a fan but . . . I don't know . . . "I have horrible handwriting . . . "

"How about a holo," he suggests.

"All right then," my guide moves away and goes to take the holo.

"Can you remove your helmet," she asks.

"...uh."

"What's wrong," she asks.

"A practical joke," I answer.

"What happened," she asks again more interested.

"He shaved my eyebrows," I answer with a sigh.

They glance at each other, "All right . . . " my guide says. "Keep the helmet on, we'll just say it was before you headed off to a mission."

"Sounds good to me," I answer with a sigh of relief. I didn't want my (probably) only fan in the entire galaxy to have a picture with me missing my eyebrows.

We took the holo and I was lead away, "Anything specific you want to see," my guide asks.

"How about your name," I ask, "so I don't continue referring to you as 'my guide' in my head."

"Gunnery Chief Helen Troy," she answers.

"Troy as in . . . "

"The Trojan war, Helen of Troy that kind of thing," she answers a little annoyed. It sounded.

"You get that a lot," I ask.

"It's an unusual last name," she answers.

"My last name is shared with hundreds of people whom no one knows who they are," I argue laughing. "I think mine is stranger."

"Doe," she says to herself. "Will Doe," she says again.

"Troy," I say to mimic her. "Helen Troy," I finish.

"Call me Helen," she answers. I don't know what it is but Helen feels like a grown up name. Will kind of feels like a young name, then you reach adult hood and get the fancy William. Yes, that's right. My full first name is William.

"Will," I say smiling. I wonder if my smile creeps people out and they're just being nice by smiling back . . .

"So what do you want to see," she asks again.

"Drive core," I answer absentmindedly, getting distracted by the various noises and conversation.

"Really, I didn't think you were the engineering type," she says leading me down the hallway.

"I'm not it's just the first thing that came to mind," I answer. I follow her down the hall, and an elevator ride later I'm standing near the drive core. The chief engineer talking my ear off, but luckily I'm able to pretend to listen. So while this guy's talking tech, I'm off in my own world.

"... not as advanced as the Normandy," the chief engineer finishes.

"Right," I nod. "Normandy was a good ship."

"So if you have any more questions you know where to find me," The engineer says getting back to work.

"I bet I stopped listening way before you did," I say after we get farther away from him.

"When did you stop," she asks.

"When did he start," I ask back with a smile.

She laughs, "Next," she asks.

"Food," I groan with false hunger.

"Mess hall it is," she leads me back to the elevator.

"So . . . come here often," I ask as the elevator rises.

"Actually I signed on just before this mission," she answers.

"So you're brand-new," I ask surprised. "Don't take this the wrong way but why are you the guide?"

"I asked," she answers. That makes me suspicious . . .

* * *

**A/N: It's counting down... only a few chapters left.**

**PS: I'm going to stop thanking individuals in chapters and save it all for the Author's note in the end.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Is it kind of annoying that I put in author's notes? **

**Blame the lateness on me getting Borderland and Modern Warfare 2 in the last few days. I also took a short break to beat the new Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC... It was cool.  
**

* * *

**Ch. 13**

**"It's the only way I can be happy, if he's [The Owner] not dead I'll kill him then we'll never have to worry about him again."**

**Liana**

I finished the ship tour, and the weird thing is, I felt like Helen, was lying to me. Something was off. Not enough that I'd shoot her, but enough that I was suspicious. But not suspicious enough to ignore her or watch her covertly... I watched her covertly for a completely different reason.

Yeah right like I'm that bold.

"So what did you do before you were thrust into the outskirts of the spotlight," she asks. She called it the outskirts of the spotlight due to the fact it was on Shepard, me I was a supporting character.

"Mercenary work," I answer, a plausible enough lie.

"Freelance," she asks.

"Yes," I answer simply, I rub the back of my neck.

"Any memorable missions," she asks.

Story time, I flash through a probable story. Modified ME story of course.

"There was this turian..." I run through archangels mission leaving out certain details and making the hero die in the end. "...swept it all away."

It was convincing enough that she never asked me about my past. "Where'd you get the geth arm," she asks pointing to Legion's arm that I had attached to a magnetic clip on my back.

"The day before yesterday," I answer, "we hunted a geth through the woods on Eden Prime."

"More geth on Eden Prime," she asks shocked.

"Just one," I answer. "And it wasn't a threat."

"What happened," she asks wanting the details.

"Garrus shot it," I answer, "it ran off." "I took it's arm."

"So it's still alive," she asks.

"Yes, critically damaged and missing an arm," I add with a tone that says I was a little annoyed with the subject. I wasn't it was just so I could change the subject.

"What do you think of Terra Firma," she asks out of nowhere.

"I don't trust them," I answer, "I think the premise was good but it's attracted too many xenophobes."

"I'm a member of Terra Firma," she adds.

"Ok," I respond. "I'm not..."

She laughs, "I know."

"You're not going to try and recruit me are you," I ask with a groan. "I hate politics." "It comes with hating politicians."

"I see," she says, "alright no politics."

"Thank you that makes everything better." Things I don't like talking about, politics, religion, and relationships... because wars have been fought because of all of these.

"Do you believe in god," she asks.

"And that's number two on my dislike talking about list," I answer.

"Do you have a girlfriend," she asks scooting closer to me.

"And that's..."

"Number three."

"Exactly," I answer. "But I guess I can answer it." "There is someone I like." Well multiple someone's.

"Chief Williams," Helen asks curiously.

"No," I answer, well actually I'm not too sure about any of my feelings anymore. "I'm not gonna lie and say she's not attractive, but I'm just not interested in her."

"So who," she asks.

"I don't know if I should tell you," I answer, she is a member of a pro-human organization.

"Come on I can keep a secret," she begs.

"Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," I answer resignedly.

"The quarian," she asks shocked. Way too shocked.

"Yeah," I answer getting defensive, "what about it."

"It's just they're..."

"Selfless, intelligent, and generally all around good people," I ask.

"Aliens..."

"So what," I answer.

She seems on the verge of protest, but changes suddenly, suspiciously. "I think it's nice you don't let that stop you."

Yeah, you'd have to be some kind of idiot to believe that for a second. I'm not going to push her on this. It's really not worth it. "Thank you," I say purposely making a fake smile similar to the one receptionists, waitresses, and politicians use.

"So," she looks around nervously. "It's going to be half a day before we reach our destination, you might as well be rested for your arrival."

"So where do I bunk," I ask. It's important to know where you sleep.

"You get to bunk with the crew," she answers with fake excitement. She leads me to a bunk room that had all but three beds full of sleeping crew-members. "Here on the 'Little Bighorn' we have the finest sleeping accommodations." Little Bighorn, you know I never asked the name of the ship, this isn't a good battle for a ship to be named after. Little Bighorn was the battle that Custer and his men got killed by native americans. Well actually I don't remember enough of that battle to know who truly was in the wrong.

"I'm so excited," I respond dryly. I lie down on the bunk she points out to me.

"Have a nice nap," she fake smiles and leaves.

"What'd you do to her," one of the male crewmen asks.

"Nothing," I answer, "I think she got the wrong idea about me..." I lay back and slowly drift off. I wake up around five hours later, I know this because I checked my omni tool. For five hours sleep I felt strangely rested. I headed out.

"Let's see," I say to myself looking around. They had a small gym on board and I didn't have anything better to do with my time. I worked my way through the ship and managed to find it. And there was already a few people in there. One being Helen who was kicking the crap out of a huge guy. I might be a little afraid of her now. I walk in and a bunch of people take notice, well a bunch being five out of the eight people. Many were asking me to show off my mods, lifting weights running on the treadmill, physical stuff. I showed off by out-lifting the strongest in the room, out running the fastest, and winning at most static exercises.

Helen notices this, "How about sparring," she asks.

The fact that I don't hit women and I'm afraid of hurting a normal human combine in one word, "No."

"Afraid you'll lose," she asks playfully.

"No," I answer, "I don't hit women."

"That's sexist," she says simply.

"Whatever you want to call it," I respond, "I don't hit women."

"Don't think of me as a woman then," she presses I think she really wants to fight me, "I'm a soldier."

"I also tend to avoid fights with normal humans," I add.

"We're not normal," a man argues, "each of us has gene mods as well, just not as advanced or powerful as yours."

"It's sparring," she continues, "you won't hurt me."

"No but I'll hesitate due to the fact you're a woman and then you'll capitalize on it and my ego will get an enormous bruise," I reply. It's true.

"So then fight one of us," a man suggests.

The biggest guy in the room around half a head taller than me steps forward. "I'll fight you."

"Okey doke," I respond.

"No armor," Helen adds. I look down, I'm still wearing the Colossus armor.

"I'll need a change of clothes then," I inform them. Someone throws me a shirt and gym shorts. "I don't want to borrow..."

"It's surplus," he says, "each ship is equipped with uniforms, pt gear, those are extras."

Luckily they were close enough to my size I could wear them semi comfortably, but the shirt was tight. "Try it with no shirt," Helen suggests.

"I'll keep my shirt on," I answer.

We get on the mats set up in a corner of the room, well mats, it was actually the floor. Just much softer than in other areas. He gets on one side, me on the other... it's like an old western I actually squint my eyes.

He moves in, being a big guy, he uses big guy fighting, which is mainly overpowering your opponent. Unfortunately he isn't nearly as strong as me. I dig in my heels and stop his charge cold. I grab two handfuls of his shirt and using brute force I turn and launch him over my side into the ground. He leaves an impression in the soft floor. He looks up at me, "Ouch."

"No skill needed," I laugh. I hold my hand out and help him up.

"None shown either," Helen says almost bitterly.

"I'm sorry that I don't hit women."

"You could learn a thing or two and be really dangerous," she adds.

"I'm good with how I fight right now," I answer. Truth be told I want to learn to fight more efficiently, but not from regular soldiers. I want to learn from someone like... Thane, yeah like in his cut scene when he arrives and takes out everyone in the room in a few seconds using pretty much just his bare hands.

That's something to thank about for the future. Right now I'm more interested in getting breakfast. I slip my armor back on and head for the mess hall, after saying goodbye to everyone.

I see Ashley there, "Couldn't sleep," I ask.

"Wasn't tired," she answers. I sit down at the same table as her.

"How long til we arrive," I ask.

"Last I heard we were three hours out," she answers.

"That means I spent nearly, four hours in the gym, didn't feel that long," I add.

"No the other ship moved closer to us," she answers, "so the ETA was shortened."

"I see," I respond. "Do we know if it's moving or not now," I ask.

"It hasn't moved since it jumped to a closer system," she answers.

"I'm going to see if I can't borrow a few guns," I say after I finish eating. I stand to leave. "Would they have SMGs on here," I ask.

"It is a military ship," she answers with a duh tone in her voice.

"So the armory," I say walking off, remembering where the tour of the ship brought me to it. I wander around until I finally get luck and find a room full of guns with a crewman who was cleaning, and repairing them.

"'Scuse me," I say getting his attention.

He turns "I'm bus... oh, you're the hero guy right."

"That's my name," I answer, "hero guy."

"John," he says holding his hand out.

"Will," I respond shaking his hand.

"What brings you to my little corner of the ship," he asks going back to work.

"I need to know if I could borrow a weapon for the upcoming mission," I answer.

"What do you use," he asks.

"My old equipment was, a pair of SMGs I took off assassins who were trying to kill my friend, a sniper rifle I got from a geth after blowing it away, and a pistol."

"Let's see," he mutters to himself walking around. He stacks similar weapons on the table. "I'll give you these before you leave the ship," he adds, "I don't think the captain wants an armed passenger."

"That's all right," I respond, "I'll come back when we're about to dock."

"Ok then," he says he moves the stack to a corner in the room.

"Later," I say heading back through the door.

My guide walks down the hall towards me, "Hey Will," she waves as she closes in.

"Hello Helen," I wave back.

"I'm supposed to be the one leading you around the ship," she reminds me.

"I needed to do something," I answer. "Can you take me to Garrus," I ask. I want to talk to him about some things...

"I'll check," she answers, she talks into her radio and less than a minute later I'm talking to Garrus.

"Tell me what's missing," I demand immediately.

"You're not going to give up are you," he asks.

"Never, tell me."

"What has been with you throughout everything and just recently disappeared," he asks trying to lead me to an answer.

"...Tali..." I say realization hitting me, I can be extremely dense sometimes.

"Finally you get it."

"How do I help this feeling," I ask.

"You could try writing a letter," he answers, "or chat with her on the extra-net."

A letter, well e-mail. I pull out my omni tool and sit in a corner of the room. Garrus had a pair of escorts and they were talking to Helen.

"Tali,

Writing to see how you are doing, hoping this finds you in good health..."

I delete that part and start over.

"Hey Tali just checking up on you. It's been kind of lonely here with just Garrus and Ashley..."

I delete that part too, this is gonna take a while. I want it to be casual and not needy... I hear needy is bad.

I continue trying to draft the letter and finally get pulled out of it when a voice came on, "Ten minutes to target," it says.

I jump up from my sitting position, letter still not finished, I file it away to work on later. "Can you lead me to the armory," I ask Helen.

"Sure," she answers, "this way." She leads me back to the armory.

"John," I say entering the room.

"Will," he replies, he had all the stuff I was borrowing on the table. A pair of SMGs, and a pistol. "I figured you wouldn't need the rifle on the ship."

"How about a second pistol," I ask.

He grabs one and hands it to me, "There you go." I put the four guns on magnetic holsters, the pistols on my waist, and the SMGs on my back, Legions arm was in the center of my back. I say my goodbye and head for the airlock. Garrus and Ashley are waiting for me there as well as the captain.

"I could send backup," he suggests.

"We'll handle it," Ashley says.

"I've got my own business with the good doctor," Garrus adds.

"And I'm in charge," I say walking up. "According to Councilor Anderson I'm in charge of anyone who goes on that ship from this one." "I'll be good with just Ashley and Garrus," I finish.

"All right," the captain accepts it. We head through the airlock and cycle through.

I pull out my SMGs, this I miss, being on the offensive.

"I'm on point," I order, I step to the front of the group. "Don't fire unless fired upon," I say looking straight at Garrus, "or I tell you to."

"Understood," Ashley acknowledges.

"Got it," Garrus also acknowledges.

"Let's go."

We head through the door at the end of the hall, the ship's interior was just a much more high res version of the one in the game. Otherwise the layout was pretty much the same. We head to the right down a hall after the door to the entrance room opens. We wait at the end of it. I activate the door and it slides open. We sneak around the corner, we enter a cargo area boxes are littered around.

I spot the enemy, it was different from the game. In the game it looked like a copy of the Thorian Creepers here, it looked like a group of crazed people. A human charges towards us madly.

I aim for his legs and fire a burst from my SMG. He falls to the ground and begins crawling towards us. Meanwhile the sound of weapons fire draws in everything else on the ship. "Weapons free," I shout. I realize what we're up against... zombies... seriously. I fire a burst into the crazed, now crippled zombies head.

"Three o'clock," Ashley shouts firing.

"Enemies are everywhere," I shout in reply... wait that was the shouts from ME1. Not the time to be distracted. I spot Garrus take down an asari that was charging for us.

I aim at an asari that charges around a corner. I falter, I can't shoot her. She rushes in, I step forward and hold her back. "Ashley," I shout. She turns for the second needed to put a round in my zombies head and goes back to firing. I gently put the body down. I pull out a pistol. A trio of salarians charge towards me. I headshot two of them and brain the last one with my pistol when he gets close enough. As quickly as it began it was over, all that was left were a bunch of bodies.

"I wonder if Saleon is still alive," Ashley says. We check the corners and work our way through the maze of boxes. We finally reach the door at the other side of the cargo bay. Ashley and Garrus level their rifles at the door, I reach across and open the door.

"Clear," Garrus says after a moment in the room. We cautiously move forward.

"Check the right room first," I whisper, if memory serves that's where Saleon should be.

"Got it," Garrus takes the lead. I put my hand on his shoulder and step in front of him.

"I'm on point," I add. I open the door, and badabing badaboom, there's a salarian. And I'd bet all the money I've got it's Saleon.

"Thank you, thank you," he says, "for saving me from those things.

"That's him," Garrus confirms, "that's Saleon."

"What," he exclaims. "My names Heart," he rambles almost desperately, "Dr. Heart, please you've got to get me out of here."

"Dr. Saleon," I say, "you are under arrest. If you attempt to run we will shoot you in the leg and then make sure your cell buddy is a gay krogan."

"No," Garrus argues, "we could lose him again."

"Garrus," I respond, "if we kill him, we'll never know what he's been up to." "What he's done."

"But..."

"We're taking him in," I say with finality. "If it makes you feel better I'll make sure his cell buddy is a gay krogan."

"Why would that make me feel better," he asks. Saleon this whole time is just watching, I see him grow more agitated.

"It sounds funny," I answer. "There you go," I say to Saleon, "saved your life from the badass ex-cop." I tense my leg muscles, I'm all ready to spring.

"Oh thank you so very much," he replies snidely, I had prepared for what he does next I leap out as he tries to back away while fumbling for his rifle. I hit him like a linebacker sacks a quarterback. He thuds to the ground.

"Hope he's not dead," I say as I restrain his arms. I feel resistance.

"He's not," Garrus confirms.

"Well then for running your cell mate will be the biggest gayest krogan we can find."

"What's with you and gay krogan," Ashley asks.

"It seems like a horrible threat for someone going to prison," I answer.

"If you say so," she says looking away like she thought it was something deeper.

"Hey, I love Tali," I say, "there you go, straight."

"I never said anything," she responds. I manage to bind Saleon's hands.

"Garrus I'll give you the pleasure of transporting the good doctor,"

"Thank you," he says roughly pulling the doctor to his feet. We pass the door and Garrus 'accidentally' slams Saleon's head into the door frame.

"Watch it," Saleon spits.

"Sorry about that," Garrus says sarcasm evident in his voice. I laugh and follow him.

"Remember we're taking him alive," I say to Garrus.

"Understood," Garrus replies.

I don't think Saleon's head missed a door frame on the way out.

After throwing Saleon... literally throwing... in the brig, we have nothing to do but wait... and wait, and wait... I use the time to try and work on the message to Tali.

"Tali,

I'm just writing to see how you're doing."

Not bad so far... right?

"Chief Williams," the intercom comes on. "Please report tot the bridge," it requests.

"Ooooh," I say like a child, "somebody's in trouble."

"Mature," she says walking to the door, "real mature."

"Ashley's gonna get it." I say in a sing-song voice.

She leaves the room ignoring me. "What should I put after, 'I'm just writing to see how you're doing," I ask Garrus.

"I miss you and love you," he teases.

"I miss you because I've been trapped with Garrus," I say while typing it. "If you don't think that sounds bad he shaved off my eyebrows . . . hoping they grow back before I see you again."

"That makes you sound cool," he says sarcastically.

"Ok if it makes me sound cool it's got to go," I laugh. I keep typing but I don't get to far.

Ashley comes back, "I'm getting off here," she explains.

"Where's here," I ask.

"Sorry," she answers, "you can't know..."

"Black ops, hushedy hush, I know nozink," I ask.

"Something like that," she answers a small smile, I would guess at my idiocy. "They'll drop you off at the Citadel," she finishes. And just like that, she walks away. I'll see her again in a year or so... unless I changed things enough she gets kidnapped by the collectors. Great now I'm going to wonder until I see her again.

"So the Citadel," Garrus says now that we're the only ones in the room. "Want to be roommates," he asks.

Very few things would be cooler than being Garrus' roommate, but... the danger...

"And if you say some self-sacrificing bull..."

"All right," I jump in, "I'll stay with you for a while at least."

"I promise I wont shave your eyebrows anymore," he jokes.

"If you do, I'll," Crap what on a turian can grow back? "Hide your rifles from you." I couldn't think of anything.

He acts like I just threatened to kill his family. "You wouldn't dare," he says darkly.

"I miss my eyebrows," I respond with an evil smile, "it might make me a little crazy."

"Will Doe," the com says. I feel like I'm in elementary school all over again, "please report to the bridge."

"Ooh," Garrus mocks my tone from earlier, "you're gonna get it."

"Haha," I fake laugh, "I'm going to go on the record and say whatever it is, I didn't do it."

I head for the bridge. "Mr. Doe," it was the captain. "We've received a message for you."

"Why would it come to the ship," I ask.

"We intercept all messages," he explains, "I thought you might want to read this."

A voice fills the bridge, what is this the teacher caught me passing notes and is reading it to the class? "Will, I-... in.t-... on't help..." it was breaking up and staticy but it was a voice I'd never forget.

"Liana," I shout.

"Found hi-... too st-... sorry... goodbye," then it cuts out.

"Liana," I say into the computer.

"It's a message," the captain reminds me.

"Where'd it come from," I ask desperately.

"We've tried to find the source, but..." he pauses sadly and sighs, "we couldn't trace it."

"There's got to be something," I ask desperately. I try to replay the message, it's fading out.

"Someone's in our systems," the pilot shouts hands dancing across the keyboard in front of her. "They erased it," the pilot says after a few furious seconds.

"Damn it," I shout I punch the wall and leave a fist shaped dent in it. It wasn't smart, I feel my hand throbbing. I try to shake the pain away.

"You might want to head down to the med bay to have that looked at," the captain suggests.

"I'll be fine."

Liana...

* * *

**A/N: Dun dun dunnn... **

**I don't know if this part qualifies as a cliffhanger...**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I recently learned one of my reviewers wrote a story and mentioned me! So I'm returning the favor, go check out Strange Times by Super-Saiyan-3-Vegeta, review too!  
**

* * *

**Ch. 14**

**"You're working for me now"**

**The Owner**

I was worried out of my mind, questions bombarded me constantly, 'where's Liana, what's wrong, why was the message broken up.' I was going insane with worry now.

"Will," Garrus says, I had headed back to our room. He notes the worried look on my face. "What's wrong."

"I got a message from Liana," I answer. Liana, thousands of thoughts...

"She's in trouble," Garrus asks worried. I realize if I said 'yes.' Garrus would go with me wherever I pointed out. It made me feel good, but I can't delay anything more than I have.

"Yes," I answer regardless, "but we don't have any idea where the message came from."

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Garrus tries to comfort me. "She's a good fighter."

"I'm worried," I say, I'm lacking my normal cockiness and bravado... I hate these kinds of things, outside my knowledge and ability to help.

"Things will turn out all right," he tries to comfort me.

"How," I ask. "She's under attack by one of the most powerful men in the galaxy." "And I'm not there to help her..."

"She wouldn't want you in danger," Garrus argues.

"She said help," I inform him.

"Was that all she said," Garrus asks, he's obviously skeptical.

"No there was other stuff," truth be told I heard a on't which I think means don't help. But since when have I ever listened to anyone when someone I care about is in danger. I didn't even listen to Shepard when I thought she was hurt.

"She'll be fine," he says trying to put the conversation to rest. "You just have to have faith in her."

"But..."

"If you don't believe in her what kind of friend are you."

"Fine," I say sighing. I can't do anything anyways...

"Will," Helen who had just arrived at the door to our room says.

"Yes," I answer.

"We're an hour or two out from the Citadel," she informs me. "And I want to talk to you in private before we arrive."

"Tali," was all Garrus would say.

"I know," I shout. "I'm allowed to talk to girls."

"I'm just saying..."

"I'll go with you right now if it get's me away from him," I say gesturing to Garrus.

"I'll come get you when I'm ready to talk," she says leaving me alone.

"Tali," Garrus says keeping my mind on her.

"I know," I shout again.

"Good to hear," Garrus says.

I realize, what he's been doing... taking my focus off Liana... and now it's back.

"You just got your mind back on Liana," Garrus says sighing, after seeing the look on my face.

"Yes," I sigh throwing my head back. If I didn't worry about Liana what kind of monster would I be.

"Tali, Tali, Tali," he says repeatedly.

"Still worried about the friend that's actually in trouble," I answer.

He sighs, "I'll leave you to it then." He seems to have given up making me feel better.

I do the only thing I currently have to do, "Cause I'm in just the right mood to write an e-mail." I continue trying to write my letter.

**Tali**

"**I'm just writing to see how you're doing, Me, I'm having fun. Well not as much now that you're gone. "**

Did that sound needy near the end... I'm leaving it in it is true.

"**Truth be told, I miss you. Do you miss me?"**

I'm iffy on that part. I can't focus right now.

Garrus is staring out the window into space. "I miss them," I say to Garrus.

"Them," he asks.

"All the women in my life are gone," I exclaim, "I'm stuck with you." I act melodramatic. I get serious again, "Shepard first," I'm a little less sad about that after all... she'll be back. "Liana around the same time," and now she's in trouble. "Tali," Tali... I don't know what's going on, I've got Liana who's done all these things for me and is in trouble... then there's Tali, someone I've risked my life to save multiple times. I'm so confused.

I had thought I wanted to be with Tali, and I'm sad to admit I had been thinking of Liana less and less... and now this. Now I'm back where I started, the woman who's been looking out for me and betraying a dangerous organization for me or... Tali, who I care for greatly.

Whenever I imagined myself in the ME universe I always thought trying to survive would be the biggest problem. Between these thoughts and fighting an army of mercs... I've got to go with fighting an army of mercs. But that's neither here nor there.

"Hello," Garrus says getting my attention.

"What," I ask snapping out of the daze I had been in.

He points behind me, Helen is standing there tapping her foot. "Our talk," she reminds me.

"Oh yeah," I look out the window briefly and see a large purple-pink mist. Guess we're in the Serpent Nebula. That means the Citadel is a short ride away now.

"Come on," Helen orders me. I zoned out again.

I speed off after her and fall into step behind her. "What is it you need to speak to me in private about," I ask.

"Wait," she leads me through the ship until we reach the cargo area. It's deserted.

"I wanted to talk to you," she finally turns to me and says.

"I kinda figured," I answer jokingly.

"What are your plans," she asks me.

"Stay with Garrus search for some leads on Liana," I answer. Not that I'll likely find any.

"I see," she seems to think about something for a moment bringing her hand to her chin.

"Really that's good it means you're not blind," I joke.

She gives me an 'are you seriously saying that look'... yes, I know what those look like, I get one almost daily.

"We'll be docking in the Citadel in ten minutes," a voice over the intercom says.

"I've got too be on the bridge for that," I say heading back the way we came... why'd she lead me into the middle of nowhere. I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"I waited all this time to get you alone," she says indignantly.

"I love docking with the Citadel," I must've seen it nearly a dozen times, and every time I'm amazed by the Citadel especially the view from a ship. Though last time through I was sleeping... I'm gonna see it this time.

"You aren't wondering what I wanted to bring you to the most secluded area on the ship for," she asks.

"You want to tell me something you don't want anyone else to know,"I make a wild guess.

"Perceptive," she responds not surprised.

"If it's you have a crush on me I'd perfer to be in public when you say it," I make a joke.

"Believe me that's not it," she answers with a small laugh.

She seems to be wrestling with her words trying to decide the best way to say it. "Five minutes to the Citadel," the intercom says. I turn on my heel and head back the way we came.

Helen falls in behind me sort of defeated, "I love watching the Citadel from a ship," I explain again.

We reach the bridge... cockpit... whatever you call it with two minutes to spare.

I see it reaching it's arms out welcoming races from all over the galaxy to peace and unity, for some reason I feel like saying, "It reaches it's arms across the heavens." Then another thought comes to me... would it be the heavens if we're in space?

Forget it, enjoy the view.

We approach the massive space station it's five arms known as the 'wards' extending from a ring in the center. The ring being the presidium home to the biggest pain in the ass in two dimensions. I know I've been to two dimensions. He wins hands down... of course I'm thinking of Udina. I don't know why I'd want to though.

"I guess you're right," Helen says almost grudgingly. She softens, "It is beautiful."

"Shame about it being a doomsday device designed to transport a race of sentient machines hell bent on wiping out most sentient life in the galaxy, and enslaving the rest," I add.

"What," she asks.

"I'm guessing the Council kept that under wraps," I laugh. It's not like anyone would believe me if I did a Paul Revere running around going, 'The reapers are coming, the reapers are coming.' It'd sound more like Chicken Little, 'The sky is falling, the sky is falling.' Then I'd be ostracized and placed in the best mental health facilities... I prefer freedom. Man I haven't really lived up to my big speech have I, '...I won't let the fight die with her...' what have I done so far. Run, run, and run, I haven't seen a single collector or agent of the reapers, I've been wrapped up in my own problems and the problems of my friends.

"I'm sure you did your best," Helen says comforting me... wait a minute.

"How'd you know what I was thinking," I ask suspisciously.

"You were talking," she answers.

"Oh... I didn't even realize."

"When's the last time you just layed back and relaxed," she asks me.

"Every moment somone isn't shooting at me," I answer.

"Do you have hobbies," she asks, "besides sleeping and getting shot at."

"Hitting on alien women," I answer jokingly. "It was a joke," I say to her sudden sour expression. I don't know why I'm explaining myself to her...

"Be serious," she practically orders me.

"I used to be into reading, playing video games, drawing, and poor attempts at fanfiction," I say with a self-deprecating smile.

"Anything I might've read," I laugh...

"Nope," I answer simply, when I talk too much I give stuff away.

"All right then," she responds rolling her eyes. "I bet you used some stupid pseudonym mixing two different game series."

"I'm trying to watch the big space station," I say changing the subject abruptly. I watch as we enter the arms. I realize somethign.

"Why do these massive space stations look like sea animals," I ask Helen.

"What," she asks surprised.

"The Citadel is kind of like a starfish, Omega like a jelly fish and the reapers were like squids." I don't know if I should tell her the station was built by them. Not that she probably couldn't infer that given the clues from earlier.

"The reapers were machines," she reminds me.

"Whatever." She seems to have accepted the fact reapers exist pretty quickly.

"We're docked," the pilot says.

"We were express lined," another crewman adds.

"VIPs on board," the pilot responds. They're gossiping... about me and Garrus.

"Yes," I answer, "Very Important People."

"Oh... uh sir, I didn't see you there."

"Don't sir me," I order, "I'm in no way your superior." "I'm Will," I hold my hand out.

The pilot shakes it, "Jean," she answers.

"Well, this is my stop," I head for the airlock. "Bye everybody." I turn around after entering the airlock. It's Helen.

"The Owner isn't the only one interested in you," she whispers and throws me something, I catch it. It's some weird computer chip like thing. I put it in my palm and feel a bite as it pokes through. "Ouch," I exclaim crushing it.

I'm really tempted to go back on the ship and see what she knows about the Owner but... I wouldn't be able to do anything that would get info. And didn't she say the Owner wasn't the only one interested in me... who else? I don't need more people chasing after me.

I realize I left without Garrus, as the door opens to the Citadel. I take in everything at once, the 'fresh air' which smelled more natural than the air on ships somehow, the faint hissing of various things in the docks, I see a keeper scuttle by, and I don't know I just feel generally excited. The Citadel does that, you feel the magnitude.

"I feel small," I say to myself.

"Impatient too," I hear a voice say. I turn to see Garrus.

"Sorry, I wanted off," I explain.

"You forgot to say goodbye to the captain and crew," he sighs, "I did it for you though." I watch as a team of marines transporting Saleon walk off the ship.

"Want to walk with them," I ask Garrus.

"To see the defeated look of a criminal who thought he got away," Garrus muses, "I'm in." We don't even have to introduce ourselves to the escorts.

"Happy to have you along," one of the marines says.

"So Dr. Saleon," I say falling into step besides him. "How long do you think you'll be in jail for?"

He still doesn't respond, but he doesn't look defeated, he looks... confident?

I'm a little ticked at being ignored when I'm shamelessly gloating. "How does it feel to get captured and likely to be either killed or put in prison for the rest of your life?" I'm trying to shake him and I'll admit I'm being a bit of an ass.

"He won't let me rot," Saleon laughs.

"Who's he," I ask suddenly interested.

"I recognize some of my handiwork, though I must admit I never got this far with my test subjects," he says looking at me.

He knows something about the Owner. The Owner lately is my PO'd button.

I lose it and grab him by the collar of his shirt and lift him in the air. "What do you know about him," I shout.

"You won't kill me," he says as much to me as himself.

I let go of his shirt and catch him by the throat as he drops, "Try me."

I see the marine escorts look anxious, "Sir..."

"What do you know about him," I ask again. His eyes are bulging out and his face is taking a strange color. I toss him to the ground.

"Sent... data, organs... didn't... know...," he's gasping while trying to talk. "Did small... gene mod experiments on subjects and cloned organs."

"I'm waiting for information I can use," I say threateningly. This might not lead to anything or it could lead to everything... what does that mean... I don't know.

He shuts up and does his best imitation of a zombie without the moaning. I'm sorely tempted to break something of his. Normally I'm not so blood thristy and tortuous, but Liana is in trouble and this guy would deserve whatever I did.

"I don't want to be that kind of person," I whisper to myself. Someone who justifies harming someone for no other reason than personal satifaction.

"We'll stop following," Garrus says, "for your sake as much as his."

"Yeah..." I mutter absently. How much different am I now. I never thought about how much I might have changed, but I don't feel like I used to. I was powerful, fast, and had the ear of some of the most powerful people in the galaxy. I feel a little light headed at the realization.

I shift topics fast. "So my place," Garrus suggests.

"For a while," I mutter. I guess you can't help change when you're transported to a scifi alternate dimension.

"Let's go," Garrus takes charge. Good I can't focus very much right now.

"Yes sir," I say robotically. Right now I feel detached, I can't focus on the physical, I need to work through my emotions.

We decided to walk there, I needed the time to clear my head. It wasn't that long of a walk. Garrus for his part tried to distract me but I wasn't listening. My first and foremost thought was Liana is in trouble, which it didn't matter if I like liked her I'd be this worried about anyone of my friends. Shepard would know what to do, but she's still working her way back to the world of the living.

We arrive back at Garrus apartment. "Home sweet home," I mutter absentmindedly.

"What is the human expression, 'mi casa su casa,'" he asks.

"Yeah."

For three days I was a vegetable, only moving around when I had to otherwise I was working through my mind. I come to a conclusion after three days of thinking...

I need advice. I have only one person to turn to, "Garrus," I say coming back to the surface from the inside of my mind. Which is a long and dangerous trip.

"Yeah Will," he says not turning back to me.

"What would you do," I ask.

"About?"

"Liana," I answer, "she's in trouble and it kills me I'm stuck with no leads."

"I'd have faith in her," he answers. That answer feels fake. I conjure up a mental Garrus one that won't lie for my best interests and repeat the question.

'Find a lead,' the mental Garrus answers simply.

"All right then," I say out loud, "I'll find a lead."

"Wait that's not what..."

He grabs my arm forcing me to stop, "What are you going to do," he snaps. "Search for a lead for one of the most mysterious individuals in the galaxy."

"I'll find something," I answer, I have to.

"You have to have faith," he continues lying.

"Faith this faith that," I shout, "sometimes faith isn't enough." "I can't sit here and do nothing while she could be dying."

"Could be," he responds. "She could be perfectly fine," he continues, "she could be worried you might do something stupid and go look for her that's why she sent the message." "You said yourself you could barely make out any words."

"I heard enough, I heard trouble and help," I respond losing steam.

"You said you heard something that sounded like don't," he continues, "don't help."

"When have I ever listened to someone when their life was in danger."

"Do it more," he orders, "people do that for a reason, she doesn't want you in danger if you go after her you will be right in the line of fire."

I'm defeated now, I slump my shoulders. "I wish Shepard was here," I mumble sadly. I fall back against the wall and slide down to a seated position. "Or Tali." Tali for the obvious reasons, but no she's safe in the migrant fleet.

I use my omni tool to turn on the vid screen. I can't see it but I can hear it.

"...the trial of the 'alleged' Dr. Saleon, a criminal who had grown organs in his assistants has ended to day, the defendant Dr. R Heart had this to say to the allegations."

I hear Saleon's voice, "I'm appalled to be mixed up with that criminal, but I will not press charges against the fine soldiers of the Alliance who brought me in." "I will however be taking action against the bounty hunters who captured me and attempted to pass me off as this Saleon charac-..." I hear a gunshot mixed with a electrical spurt and put two and two together.

"I was listening to that," I mumble.

"You see," Garrus shouts his turn to get ticked off. "He went free, after all that, he gets to walk away!" He shouts and rants about how he used to believe in the system and how this was the final straw. He stormed out before I could get a word in.

I'm stunned and I'm too caught up in my depressing realization from earlier to chase after him. "Bye," I mumble. If a automatic door could slam this one did.

I sat there and waited for hours, it occured to me maybe Garrus went hunting after Saleon. If the Owner's protecting him Garrus'l never catch him.

I decide to try and write again,

**Tali**

"**I could make a hundred jokes to start this, or use some corny over used line, both are what's expected of me. But I can't right now. Too much negative is happening and I'm having a bit of trouble smiling. We caught Saleon, but they released him when he was confirmed as Dr. Heart. Garrus ran off, not sure if he's coming back.**

**Liana sent me a message that was garbled and sounded like she was in trouble. I don't know what to do with that, Garrus kept telling me, 'Have faith.'**

**How? How can I have faith when one of my friends is in trouble. How can I sit here and do nothing while she might be dying. How can I do anything when I'm so confused? What can I do without you..."**

I don't think I'll send it, it feels to whiny somehow. I don't want to worry Tali, but I needed to get this out of me.

I save it to my drafts, I check my inbox and see I have two new messages. Each was from one of the two people I cared about. One from Tali, another from Liana. I open Tali's first on instinct, I wonder why I chose hers first Liana is the one in danger and could possibly be... forget it I'm just going to read the message.

She's joined the Neema as expected thank goodness... I'd hate for me to some how changed it so that she would be on the Iktomy or Defrahnz, I wouldn't be able to say her full name with a straight face.

I feel a slight smile. It's awkward, the message not the situation. She's about as good as me at writing e-mails.

I close the message feeling a dozen times better than I did two seconds ago.

I open Liana's... She's here. On the Citadel and she's in trouble. I leap up to my feet. I sprint out the door at speeds that if this were a cartoon would warrant a dust cloud and afterimage. My omni-tools CPS (a newly downloaded app called Citadel Positioning System) led me to my destination without any trouble. Realizing I had returned my guns to the armory on the ship all I had was my knife.

I could do some real damage with this knife. I slip in silently. As silent as a 6'03 human in heavy armor can be.

I scout out the area, there's no one here but a feminine figure in the center of a large open room, features hidden by a cloak similar to the one I used to wear, she might be an agent of the Owner and this might be a trap... might be.

I realize now that this is a warehouse. Hey I wasn't paying attention when I first got here. No crates, no other people, it felt too empty...

I approach the figure from behind stealthy, I draw my knife and grab the figure from behind knife pressed against her throat. I figured this was Liana but hey I really didn't want to take any chances. "Take off your hood," I order.

Slowly she reaches her hands up, I can tell instantly she's an asari with purple skin. She pulls her hood which had been obscuring my view of her face down. I drop my knife, I faintly hear it clatter against the floor.

"Liana," I say weakly. I resist the immense urge to collapse from relief. I remember she said she was in trouble, I spin her around and put my hands on her shoulders, "What's wrong?"

She pulls me close and hugs me, "I've missed you," she says. I feel wetness around my eyes, I'mm so happy she's ok...

I feel something puncture my suit, I feel the unmistakable feeling of being drugged. I slump forward Liana holding me up. I hear a voice from her earpiece.

"Is he secure," the voice asks. I fight the tranq long enough to push her away. I clumsily access my omni-tool's mail feature...

I select at random from my contacts, I see what looks like a blurry Tali tag.

I access my drafts and select the one I wrote earlier.

**Tali**

"**I could make a hundred jokes to start this, or use some corny over used line, both are what's expected of me. But I can't right now. Too much negative is happening and I'm having a bit of trouble smiling. We caught Saleon, but they released him when he was confirmed as Dr. Heart. Garrus ran off, not sure if he's coming back.**

**Liana sent me a message that was garbled and sounded like she was in trouble. I don't know what to do with that, Garrus kept telling me, 'Have faith.'**

**How? How can I have faith when one of my friends is in trouble? How can I sit here and do nothing while she might be dying? How can I do anything when I'm so confused? What can I do without you?**

I'm released from any inhibitions by the fact I'm a short while away from unconsciousness. I decide on what I want to say, especially if this is my last message.

**I lov-**

I lose the battle and fall but manage to hit send on my way down. I hit the ground and hold on to consciousness.

Robotically Liana says, "...Yes."

"Good," the Owner's voice says, "retrieval is on it's way."

"Understood..." I fade to nothingness, my two thoughts being, Why would Liana do this? And I hope this means Tali will be safe at least.

* * *

**A/N: Liana betrays Will? Will confesses in his 'final message.' What was the thing Helen gave Will that 'bit' him and I leave a giant cliff hanger... how mad are you guys! (or anxious)  
**

**I'm on the fence on whether or not to end it here... Ok I'm asking the reviewers! Should I leave this story with a cliff hanger ending... or go one more chapter?**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: That's the most reviews I've gotten in a single chapter! Sorry that it took me nearly a week to update... I would make an excuse but I have none... Except Reach... I feel bad now...**

* * *

**Ch. 15**

"Salvation comes with a cost. Judge us not by our methods, but what we seek to accomplish."

**The Illusive Man  
**

_I'm standing in a hall looking at a closed door, I try to break through it but can't. I slump against the door, "Come on damnit."_

Yeah now that I'm captured I get a dream . . .

Why? It was the only word I could form in my mind whenever I thought of Liana, and it usually had a bit of a hard edge to it. More like: Why damn it Why! Liana, I actually thought I might . . . it doesn't matter anymore.

I've never been betrayed on this scale in my entire life. I doubt too many people have. It hurts, it makes me want to cry . . . but I won't I am a g-g-guy.

I sniffle. Why?

I gaze around my cell. Solid walls, a single door, and a doctor's table that I was strapped down and have been strapped down for time uncountable. At least for me, I have nothing to judge the days on. Except the 'tests' Saleon . . . that's right Saleon works for the Owner and is here supervising several experiments. Testing me, my mods, and sometimes nothing at all . . . they were just there to hurt me somehow.

They weren't gonna kill me . . . yet. And I'm not going to give up hope, if I do that then I'll accept never seeing Tali, my new friends and my family again, I can't do that. Sure I'm scared out of my mind but I don't want to be the source of sadness for anyone I care about . . .

I hate where this is going to lead, when I escape, and I have to say when. I'm going to fight my way out and while I'm less squeamish than when I started . . . I hated having to hurt people. Well up until the point they shoot at me. Then it's self defense.

My right arm has been numb since a short while after I arrived. My fingers have felt really weird too, but that's really a minor complaint considering.

I try and snap my restraints for the millionth time. The metal groans but doesn't give. I settle back and rest for a minute.

Liana . . . I keep thinking of her, and still all I can do is ask why. It doesn't seem right . . . why not take me from the hospital when I was in that coma . . . why feed me the bull story that she's hunting the Owner . . . Why?

I feel angry about her, like I've never been mad before. Sad, angry and of course confused. Some points I still feel like crying about it. This crap is way too much for a . . . how old am I now? Have I been in here long enough my birthday's come around or am I still 18? Too much for a teenager to deal with.

I'll kill the Owner that part's certain . . . I know it's bloodthirsty but I think I'm entitled to it. Liana . . . truth is I won't be able to hurt her, I don't hit women and I won't let a little thing like . . . actually I won't know what I'll do until I'm in the moment. Values change.

"I'll get out of this," I mutter to myself trying to sound confident. It's hard to sound confident when one of the few people you trust betrays you to a mysterious whatever, who's pissed at you.

I strain again, I hear the restraints groan more than normal. Maybe I'm nearly free. Maybe it's just wishful thinking. I give it everything I've got and I'm rewarded with a snap. As the bonds break off. It's my right arm that broke through. I stare over at it. I have two fingers and a thumb, Sort of like a quarian's. That might be because . . . I look at the coloring of the robotic arm, it's Legion's . . .

That mystery can wait, I reach over and using both hands manage to snap the restraint on my human arm. I lean down and break off my leg restraints. I was kind of hoping for the calvary so I wouldn't have to do this all alone.

I try and get up, I'm a little unsteady on my legs after so long inactive. I use the bed I had been bound to as a support until I get my balance back. It won't be too long until someone comes to check on me. I rip the wires, tubes and any foreign object off me. I'm bleeding from some of the areas I had ripped out the tubes . . . that'll scar. I'll live, I check the medical kit that was hanging off the wall, I pull out a tube of Medi-Gel and spread it over all the areas I was bleeding. Well I'll live.

So now it's time for a mission impossible escape. I wait beside the door, I'll have more time if I get rid of whoever comes through. It opens and oh, God must love me . . . it's Saleon. He notices the chair is empty and the implications . . . too late.

I grab him and slam him into the wall. "Lookey who it is," I say with steel in my voice.

"Don't . . . "

I smash him in the face hard enough to knock him out and drop his IQ a bit. I lay him on the bed and use tubing and other things to tie him down.

Time to go, I'm not malicious enough regardless of the . . . crap he put me through to kill him in cold blood. I walk out into the hall, for the first time I notice I'm in a uniform, a sort of t shirt, cargo pants combo with a big O with an A inside it on a patch on my arm. I don't think navy blue is my color. Oh well beggars can't be choosers.

I walk down the hall I don't run, I move like I belong which is a little hard considering the fact my geth arm stuck out like a sore thumb . . . or arm. I spot an asari who's deep in conversation with a krogan. Both wore armor . . . just what I need security right off the bat. I move to the side of the hall my arm away from them, and watch heart hammering in my chest as they pass by.

I let out a sigh of relief, "Gotta keep moving." I continue down the hall way. I read the signs I'm at a fork in the road, one leads to an armory, which could have my knife in it, the other the shuttle bay . . . and freedom.

Knife it is then. I move down the hall, but God I'm really trying my luck here. I reach the door with a big label above it, 'armory.' I activate the door panel. It slides open.

It occurs I've gone from Will Doe Teenager to, Will Doe James Bond impersonator . . . I really shouldn't try to make jokes in this situation. The room is filled with every kind of weapon you can imagine . . . and some I can't. I spot a suit of armor in what looks like a plexiglass container. One sleeve removed. This is mine . . .

I reach down to the controls and press several buttons. My right arm leaps forward and begins typing at a high speed, the lock's color shifts from red to green and the container opens. I suit up, it was similar to my old armor just a few upgrades, I hate the one who made this but I can't deny it felt right to wear it again. I pull my hood up. Back in black, chest plate, shin-plate and a single arm plate. Under-suit and cloak and cowl. I felt better now.

I found my knife hanging off the wall, and I belt in on my waist. A fly lands on my chest piece I slap at it with lightning a fast strike. The door opens. I stand perfectly still. I'm a deer in the headlights now.

A krogan enters and begins walking through the room, he grabs a shotgun and walks out not even looking at me. I let out the breath I didn't know I had been holding. Was he blind? I reach out for what looked like a Locust SMG, and . . . I can't see my hand. I look down at my body, I'm invisible . . . how'd that happen? I hit my chest and reappear . . . oh yeah I can use this. I load up, a pair of Locust SMGs, a pair of Phalanx pistols . . . you know the cool ones with laser sights, and an Incisor sniper rifle, which fires a three round burst with the pull of the trigger.

Everything loaded up, I'm ready to kick some ass . . . actually I think I'm just going to . . .

The alarm blares throughout the base . . . and I'm right in the place all the guards who are likely now waking up will go to arm. I slap my chest and open the door. I spot every race imaginable moving toward the armory I step out and avoid everyone as I sprint down to the shuttle bay.

I spot a pair of guards both humans moving toward me, and I hear an electrical fizzle as my invisibility fades away. Both guards notice me, I do a double clothes line and keep moving. They must've done a back flip that's how hard I hit them. I turn a corner following the signs, now it's a krogan. Clothesline won't work on tiny here, I jump and put both feet forward, the krogan takes a drop kick to the face. He falls back, and I regain my feet and keep running.

Blast doors start closing from the roof. I make it under the first three without having to duck. I spot the door to the hangar. I duck under the blast door, limbo under another and slide through the last one like I was going to home plate. The doors clang shut simultaneously.

I try and open the door to the shuttle bay using the panel, it blinks red.

"Duh it's locked," I reprimand myself. Let's see. I move my right arm over the panel. Do what you did with the armor locker. I stand there and nothing happens. I lose my patience I start smashing into the door. I leave dents and marks but it doesn't budge. I slump against it and look at the ground, "Damnit," I shout. I see what looks like a keycard on the floor... weird it wasn't there before. Whatever I'm not looking a gift security pass to freedom in the mouth. I swipe it over the door control. God must really love me today, I see a shuttle all powered on and ready to go.

I jump inside the shuttle how hard can it be to fly one of these . . . it's not like it's rocket science. Turns out it kind of is, I spend my time flipping through switches at high speed. I feel the shuttle start and lift up.

I notice a pedal like thing, and a steering wheel, noticing this I make a few guesses. I slam down on the pedal and the shuttle shoots forward I pull back on the steering wheel and it raises into the air. I scrape a wall, and turn for the exit. I start screaming . . . exhilaration and fear mix as I take off out of the base. Turns out it's on a planet. I pull back on the steering wheel and shoot straight toward the stars.

"Yaahaa," I scream as I ascend into the heavens. The shuttle shakes and I start getting nervous. It feels like the planet doesn't want to let me go...

I break through and reach space. Well now what? I'm confused... it seemed way too easy, I mean there's the key card, the shuttle, armor and weapons that just so happened to be unguarded, and they had to know those doors they were shutting would only slow down my pursuers... so why? Whatever, I'm just gonna keep saying God loves me today...

After we exited the atmosphere it was like some program took over and we started heading for the nearest Mass Relay... more luck... or is someone helping me somehow?

"Where are we going," I ask the shuttle... I don't expect an answer though. The shuttle shudders. I look back there are several ships coming after me. They look like the dropship that Blue Suns guy uses on Garrus.

"Evasive maneuvers," the computer states, "please buckle your harness." I sit down and put my harness on.

"Surrender," a voice shouts through my com.

"No way in hell," I answer. "Computer go as fast as possible."

"Heading to relay," was it's only response.

The shuttle continues moving around dodging and weaving until we pull up beside the relay which orbit's luckily a short way from the planet. "Entering mass and destination," the computer informs me. I give the ships chasing me a one fingered salute and go through the relay . . .

It was empty. There were no planets no traffic just a star and a relay. It didn't help that after we arrived the ship decides to tell me that it's no longer able to move, apparently the bastards chasing me had hit me with a lucky shot and I had coasted into the relay. So all I can do is wait for someone to find me . . .

I'm gonna need a volley ball.

Well I don't have a volley ball but I do have, a tube of omni gell, around a weeks worth of emergency rations and one of you will be my imaginary friend whilst I'm trapped in this never ending void. Ah, forget it I have a very good imagination I'm sure I can keep myself entertained.

**A week later.**

"Well then," I say to Tali, "how'd you get here again."

"I'm a figment of your imagination," she reminds me for the eighteenth time. My imagination did things like that to me it just won't let me enjoy the delusion...

"Well it's still nice seeing you," I respond.

"How did you go crazy in a week," she asks me, "don't you have more fortitude than that."

Imagination Tali is a bit mean, "I can't help it I'm lost without you . . . " Great now I'm hitting on a figment of my imagination. I need rescue before I do something crazier.

I sit down in the pilot's chair, I scan the controls most of it was in a language I couldn't quite understand but strangely enough I knew what each button did. I find one that I know is the emergency beacon. I had been loathe to activate it in the beginning due to the fact that the Owner would most likely find me. But hey I'm about to die in the middle of space with my imaginary girlfriend, and life is almost always better than death. I push it.

A ship immediately arrives through the Mass Relay, "Wow," I say staring at the button in wonder. "It's like a magic button."

"Will Doe," a voice says through my com.

I attempt to disguise my voice, "Deepends on who's askin'," I try a fake southern accent, a horrible one at that.

"From what scanners tell me," the voice pauses, damn people in this galaxy were theatrical, "your last hope."

"How did y'all get here so quick like," I continue the fake voice.

"Ms. Troy can explain that," he answers.

"Helen," I say dropping the accent.

"Will," she responds through the radio.

"Yeeha," I shout, "I'm saved."

"You do know your radio's on."

"Oops," I smile, guess I've still got a chance. They pulled me aboard, and as soon as my shuttle was secure I was talking to Helen.

"You work for Cerberus," I exclaim, they had told me only a short while ago.

"You seem surprised," she laughs. "I was trying to tell you that back on the ship."

"Oh," guess I should've listened to her. "How'd you find me," I ask, "slowly this time."

"I'll tell you again," she says rolling her eyes, "this time I'll speak slowly." The device that 'bit' you, as you put it, injected a small tracking device into your blood stream." This part I understood and was kind of creeped out by. "Then you disappeared," I had told her how it happened, "I'm sorry about your friend." I'm still confused on that. "When you reappeared in this system, we came as quickly as possible."

"Well it's a good thing I could rescue myself huh," I add.

"A very good thing," Helen agrees, "he wouldn't want an agent who couldn't handle themselves." So sort of I help those who help themselves mind set huh.

"So what now," I ask, they saved me but Cerberus always has a reason.

"You join Cerberus," she says a sort of duh look flashing across her features.

"Wow you guys really don't leave a choice in your recruitments do you," I laugh.

"We're almost never turned down," she replies dead serious.

I think of the things I have to offer Cerberus, my knowledge, trust with Shepard and super human abilities... but I am against Cerberus' goals, I believe in equality and what they're after is galactic domination. This must flash across my features. "Of course this ship is a Cerberus only vessel," she reminds me . . . No choice then . . .

"As long as you don't put me in a lab, I'm good, also take into account I don't kill without good reason . . . and I mean reasons good to me not, 'I told you to' understand that and we're good, if not, I'm probably going to die." I say all of this calmly and with a straight face.

"We have your profile," she answers, "and are well aware of your . . . personality quirks."

"All right then, I'm in." They have a profile on me? I don't know why but that seems incredibly cool to me...

She leaves me alone in my little room.

"I'm in Shepard," I say to myself the real reason I had joined. "I'll be there to watch your back in the start, and be there at the end . . . " Crap I forgot the Illusive Man loves his listening devices. I activate my omni tool, which was installed in my geth arm . . . cool huh. It had more apps than a thousand Iphones, and I check for anything that can help, whoa this is new. My old omni tool had a lot of apps but this is insane, I've got stuff that has military applications... one such one is a bug detector.

I check the room and find that none of the bugs in the room was broadcasting . . . cool maybe it's a hidden feature in my arm I didn't know about, or some passive jammer in my omni tool . . . or someone forgot to turn them on regardless I can continue my monologue unhampered.

"I wonder if your experience will have changed you any," I stare out the window in my room watching as we come alongside a mass relay. "I wonder what's in store for me now." I check my calendar . . . I never get birthday parties . . . it was Dec. 31st 2184. I've been captured for a long time. And I'm 19 now.

Shepard owes me a birthday party... "Shepard," I mutter, "you better throw me a hell of a party next year."

The crew gave us a Kodiak so we could report to the Illusive man. Then at a Mass Relay Helen and I jumped to a new system. "He wants to see you," Helen explained.

"In person," I ask knowing full well it won't be.

"No," she answers, "but this is one of the most secure places to speak."

"I see," I don't really care, I'm already planning on breaking with Cerberus the moment I see Shepard, Illusive Man be damned. Hey he used a similar method as my old boss to recruit me and look how that turned out, I lost my right arm and spent months in captivity.

So man of mystery forcing me into service, gonna get a talking to... I must've hit my head or something... me give the Illusive Man a talking to. Screw that I like life.

"Any tips," I ask.

"Tell the truth, if you try to hide something from him he'll just find out later," she says with a tone of a past experience. Ok then I'll tell the truth.

It was uneventful after that, we docked she shuffled me through hall after hall until I was in the same room Shepard used for her first meeting.

I get treated with the holographic image of the Illusive Man. "Welcome," he says in monotone robot greeting... That's the first thing the Owner said to me... Here we go again...

* * *

**A/N: The hunt for Liana and the Owner begins in 2185.  
**

**So many reviews in a single chapter! **

**I'm breaking my promise... sort of by thanking all the reviewers who practically forced me into this last chapter. Joking... sort of... yeah I am.**

**Champ11**

**Super-Saiyan-3-Vegeta**

**AKsmiley**

**FuckingTypo**

**Rahuuh**

**Corvinius**

**And thanks to everyone else for reading the series!  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**I wanted to upload this earlier but my computer was getting cleaned... well that's the excuse of the day.**

**This is the part where I thank everyone who reviewed and favorited!**

**To those who favorited: aback, ****Champ11,**** Chaosblader501, FuckingTypo, Nomad the Legend, Qendou, snowowI94, Super-Saiyan-3-Vegeta, Thelordofstorms, thewriter43, and Xyston. Thanks for the Fav!**

**To thos who reviewed: Champ11, Inverness, Corvinius, Rahuuh, FuckingTypo, AKSmiley, TiredTired, and Super-Saiyan-3-Vegeta**

**Truth be told if people didn't review I might not have continued writing so I guess some of the credit for the story goes to the reviewers :D**

**Now then... time for the horrible teaser trailer of DOOM!**

**Why did Liana betray Will? What does Cerberus have in store for him? (you didn't think it'd be all sunshine and daisies did you?) What is Tali's reaction to Will's message, and disappearance? How PO'd will she be when she sees he's working for Cerberus? What's up with the geth arm? And will the author copy less in game dialogue? (Probably not :)) **

**Find out when Odyssey 2185 is out.**

**On to Life... is it me or is that become a sort of catch phrase?**

**Gray Spectre Warden Boom (Obviously...)**


End file.
